Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – UN Women has warned that global funding cuts are crippling frontline organisations battling violence against women and girls, risking decades of progress on gender equality.
In its latest report At Risk and Underfunded, released Monday, the UN gender agency said one in three women’s anti-violence programmes had shut down or suspended operations due to dwindling aid.
More than 40 per cent of women’s rights groups have reduced or closed vital services such as shelters, legal aid, and health support, while nearly 80 per cent report reduced survivor access to care.
“Women’s rights organisations are the backbone of progress against gender violence, yet they are being pushed to the brink,” said Kalliopi Mingeirou, head of UN Women’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls section.
She urged governments and donors to protect and expand funding, warning that “without sustained investment, violence against women and girls will only rise.”
The report highlights that 736 million women—nearly one in three globally—have faced physical or sexual violence, mostly from intimate partners.
UN Women cautioned that as aid dries up, many groups now prioritise emergency response over systemic reform, worsening the global rollback on women’s rights.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Chukwu Obinna 
Oluwatobi Adu 
Otamere Gladness