Halfway Through 2026, Humanitarian Funding Crisis Leaves Millions at Risk as Aid Agencies Warn of Growing Global Emergency

The world’s humanitarian response is facing one of its most severe funding crises in years, leaving millions of vulnerable people at risk of hunger, displacement, and preventable death as aid organizations warn that global support is falling dramatically short of what is needed.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) says 2026 has become a defining year for humanitarian assistance, with funding levels so low that millions of people affected by conflict, natural disasters, and displacement are being left without the support they need to survive. According to the organization, only 30 per cent of the funding required to assist 143 million of the world’s most vulnerable people has been received halfway through the year.

NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland warned that the consequences of continued inaction could be catastrophic. He said families living through wars and humanitarian emergencies, from Venezuela and Sudan to Afghanistan, Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran, are facing increasing hardship as violence continues, inflation drives up the cost of essential goods, and international aid continues to decline.

“2026 is a make-or-break year for millions in desperate need around the world,” Egeland said. “If the world doesn’t choose to change course, we will see a massive loss of lives.”

The figures paint a troubling picture. The United Nations estimates that 252 million people worldwide require humanitarian assistance this year. International agencies have requested approximately US$33.66 billion to reach 143.2 million of those most in need, yet by late June only US$10.23 billion had been contributed. That represents just over 30 per cent of the funding required, making this one of the weakest humanitarian funding performances in recent years.

Even among those considered the highest priority, the situation remains deeply concerning. Of the 88.7 million people identified as being in urgent need of immediate assistance, only about 40 per cent of the necessary funding has been secured, leaving enormous gaps in food security, healthcare, shelter, clean water, and emergency protection programs.

Egeland criticized what he described as an increasingly selective international response to humanitarian crises. He argued that donor countries should distribute aid according to human need rather than political interests or media attention, warning that some of the world’s longest-running crises continue to receive only a fraction of the support they require.

He praised Sweden for maintaining what he described as an objective, needs-based approach to humanitarian assistance while encouraging other wealthy nations to adopt similar funding priorities.

One of the clearest examples of the funding collapse is Afghanistan. After years of receiving one of the world’s largest humanitarian responses, the country now ranks among the least-funded emergencies despite continuing to face extraordinary challenges.

According to humanitarian agencies, 21.9 million people in Afghanistan require assistance this year, with 17.5 million targeted for aid. However, the country’s humanitarian response plan has received only 16.9 per cent of the funding required. The situation has become even more difficult as millions of Afghans return from neighbouring countries while employment opportunities remain scarce. Data from the International Organization for Migration indicates that only about 11 per cent of returning adults have secured full-time employment.

The funding decline follows the end of United States humanitarian support that had previously accounted for more than 40 per cent of all aid flowing into Afghanistan through 2024.

For families living there, the reduction in assistance is already being felt. Momina, a 45-year-old mother of six from Nangarhar province, said life has become significantly more difficult as humanitarian organizations have reduced their presence.

“Our lives have got worse from the last two years,” she said. “My husband used to work from time-to-time and humanitarian organisations also used to come in this area to assist us. Now, we don’t see much of that assistance, and my husband is unemployed and most days is unable to get work.”

The crisis extends well beyond Afghanistan. Countries across the Central Sahel are also experiencing severe funding shortages. Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali rank among the five least-funded humanitarian responses globally this year, alongside Yemen and Afghanistan.

Aid organizations warn that millions of people across the region continue to face displacement, deteriorating security conditions, food shortages, and the collapse of basic public services. At the same time, long-term development funding has also declined, placing additional strain on already fragile education and healthcare systems.

Egeland said humanitarian aid alone cannot solve the region’s problems but remains essential while governments and international partners work to strengthen longer-term development.

“For too long, the Central Sahel has faced chronic underfunding and neglect,” he said. “Investing now is key to reducing future crises and unlocking the region’s potential.”

The Norwegian Refugee Council also pointed to a broader decline in contributions from several major donor countries. United States humanitarian funding so far in 2026 totals approximately US$4.87 billion, just over one-third of the US$14.06 billion provided during 2024. The United Kingdom has also reduced its contributions significantly, providing US$645.8 million halfway through 2026 compared with US$2.26 billion in 2024.

Humanitarian organizations warn that without a substantial increase in international support during the second half of the year, millions of people may lose access to lifesaving food assistance, emergency medical care, shelter, education, and protection services.

“We must ensure parents can give hope and opportunities to their children that ends the cycle of neglect,” Egeland said. “2026 must not go down in the record books as the year the world turned its back.”