Geneva — A new global survey by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) has revealed that funding disruptions are threatening programs supporting the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents worldwide.
PMNCH Executive Director Rajat Khosla described the crisis as “not just financial but human,” warning that shrinking donor support is forcing frontline organizations to scale back or suspend essential services.
The survey, conducted among partner organizations in more than 20 countries across Africa, Latin America, and South-East Asia, found that 89 percent of respondents faced reduced or uncertain funding in the past year, with 81 percent reporting moderate to severe impacts on their work.
Nearly two-thirds of organizations have downsized, while 37 percent temporarily suspended operations and 19 percent shut down entirely. Most partners cited flexible, core funding as the top need to stay afloat.
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Programs in adolescent health, reproductive health, and maternal care were among the hardest hit. Respondents described halted outreach, staff layoffs, and broken trust with local communities as sudden funding cuts took effect.
“Mobile clinics have been cut from three days to one — fewer pregnant women reached, vaccinations interrupted,” one respondent said. Another reported that training was halted and staff were laid off overnight.
SRHR programs have been especially vulnerable to both financial and political pressures. Several organizations reported growing pushback against sexual and reproductive health advocacy, citing reduced funding, policy restrictions, and anti-gender movements.
Training and capacity-building initiatives for health workers have also suffered, with some midwifery and nursing programs shutting down due to lack of funds. Respondents warned that quality improvement and system-strengthening programs in hospitals and health centers have been scaled back.
PMNCH said short-term donor projects are increasingly replacing long-term, community-based programs, weakening continuity of care and community trust. Youth-focused health and rights initiatives have also been scaled down or suspended, curbing young people’s engagement in shaping policy.
Despite the challenges, partner organizations emphasized resilience through collaboration, advocacy, and stronger local funding mechanisms. Many called for coordinated global support and more flexible financing.
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“Partners are calling for solidarity, not charity,” said PMNCH Board Chair Helen Clark. “They know what works — they just need the resources and political space to keep doing it.”
The survey gathered insights from 103 organizations across three continents, including NGOs, youth groups, and research institutions.
PMNCH is urging donors and policymakers to sustain investment in women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health and to prioritize long-term, adaptable funding that strengthens local systems.
“Every delay and every funding cut risks reversing years of progress,” Khosla warned.
