The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched an urgent appeal for $9.9 billion in donations to assist millions of children affected by wars and crises globally in 2025, stating that humanitarian needs have reached unprecedented levels.
UNICEF reported that the scale of children’s humanitarian needs has reached historic proportions, with increasing numbers of children affected daily. The organisation estimated that 213 million children across 146 countries and territories will require humanitarian assistance in the coming year, describing the figure as staggering.
Due to chronic underfunding of humanitarian operations, UNICEF clarified that the $9.9 billion appeal is expected to address only part of the needs. It is projected to support aid delivery to 109 million children, including access to primary healthcare, clean water, education, malnutrition detection, psychological support, and gender-based violence prevention.
Focus areas for funding
The largest share of funding—exceeding $1 billion—is allocated for Afghanistan, followed by Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Palestinian Territories, and Lebanon.
UNFPA’s parallel appeal
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), focusing on sexual and reproductive health, has issued a $1.4 billion appeal to assist 45 million women and girls in 57 countries.
UNFPA highlighted the urgent needs of 11 million pregnant women in 2025, emphasising the importance of deploying midwives to crisis-affected areas. The organisation stressed that women and girls in conflict or disaster zones face significant risks to their lives, well-being, and access to critical services. It also underscored the necessity of ensuring safe childbirth and protection from harm even under dire conditions.
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Source: ANA-MPA
