A new report warns the global humanitarian aid system is crumbling under deep funding cuts, with 64 million fewer people receiving aid last year in one of the biggest contractions since the system was formed after the second world war.
Key facts
- 64 million fewer people received humanitarian aid last year, according to the State of the Humanitarian System 2026 report.
- Aid contributions were cut by 30% between 2022 and 2025.
- Thousands of aid workers have lost their jobs.
- Women, children, older people and displaced people were among those hardest hit.
- The report describes one of the biggest contractions of the humanitarian system since it formed after the second world war.
The global humanitarian aid system is crumbling as funding shrinks and pressures increase, a new report warned on Thursday, with figures revealing that 64 million fewer people received aid last year, according to the Guardian.
The State of the Humanitarian System 2026 report found that aid contributions were cut by 30% between 2022 and 2025. Over the same period, thousands of aid workers have lost their jobs, adding to the strain on an already stretched system.
The report describes the contraction as one of the biggest the humanitarian system has suffered since it was formed in the era following the second world war. The scale of the decline, it warned, has left tens of millions of people without the assistance they would previously have received.
According to the report, the funding cuts in 2025 hit women, children, older people and displaced people particularly hard. These groups are often among the most reliant on humanitarian assistance during crises.
The report also warned that governments are not only failing to protect civilians but are increasingly responsible for endangering them, compounding the pressures facing the humanitarian system as its resources shrink.
The Guardian reported the findings as part of coverage of the deepening crisis, highlighting how reduced contributions and job losses are reshaping the ability of aid organisations to respond to global need.
Why it matters
Humanitarian aid is a lifeline for tens of millions of people affected by conflict, disaster and displacement. A 30% funding cut and 64 million fewer people reached signals that vulnerable populations, especially women, children and older people, face growing gaps in basic assistance.
Frequently asked questions
How many fewer people received humanitarian aid last year?
According to the State of the Humanitarian System 2026 report, 64 million fewer people received aid last year.
How much has aid funding been cut?
Aid contributions were cut by 30% between 2022 and 2025, according to the report cited by the Guardian.
Who has been hardest hit by the funding cuts?
The report says women, children, older people and displaced people were particularly hard hit by the funding cuts in 2025.