Geneva — An estimated 305 million people around the world will require humanitarian assistance in the coming year, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said today, launching the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) for 2025.
The appeal seeks $47 billion to provide life-saving aid in 32 countries and nine refugee-hosting regions.
"In a world on fire, the most vulnerable - children, women, people with disabilities and the poor - are paying the heaviest price," said Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
"We must reset the world's relationship with people in direst need," Mr. Fletcher urged. "Their voices and agency must be at the heart of our response. We need a new level of global solidarity to fully fund these appeals, and bold political action to uphold international law. The humanitarian community is ready to deliver - for the war-weary survivor, the displaced family, the hungry child. We must make and win afresh the argument for humanity."
Armed conflicts are intensifying in frequency and brutality, forcing nearly 123 million people to flee their homes. Climate-induced disasters are ravaging communities, devastating food systems and driving mass displacement. Meanwhile, older crises remain unresolved, with the average humanitarian appeal now spanning a decade.
The GHO for 2025 outlines carefully prioritized response plans, uniting over 1,500 humanitarian partners to provide critical assistance to 190 million people. Despite donors' longstanding generosity, funding shortfalls persist. By November 2024, only 43 per cent of the $50 billion appeal for that year had been met.
The consequences of underfunding are stark. 2024 saw an 80 per cent reduction in food assistance in Syria; cuts to protection services in Myanmar; diminished water and sanitation aid in cholera-prone Yemen; and escalating hunger in Chad.
However, the single most important barrier for assisting and protecting people in armed conflicts is widespread violation of international humanitarian law. 2024 is already the deadliest year for humanitarian workers, surpassing last year's death toll of 280. The vast majority of casualties are national aid workers.
Yet, despite these challenges, humanitarian agencies reached nearly 116 million people in 2024, delivering vital food, shelter, healthcare, education and protection services.
