Funding challenges jeopardise women, children, and dolescents' programs

A new global survey conducted by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) has revealed alarming funding disruptions affecting organisations dedicated to protecting and promoting the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents worldwide.

“This is not just a financial crisis, it’s a human one,” said Rajat Khosla, Executive Director at PMNCH. “As funding dries up, frontline organisations are being forced to scale back or suspend services that millions of women and children depend on. The world cannot afford to lose this momentum.”

The survey, which collected responses from partner organisations across more than 20 countries in Africa, Latin America, and South-East Asia, highlights the cascading impact of global disruptions, from reduced donor support to geopolitical instability and misinformation, that is undermining the delivery of women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health services.

Findings indicate that 89% of partners faced reduced or uncertain funding in the past year, while 81% reported moderate to severe impacts on advancing health goals.
Approximately 62% of organisations downsized programs, 37% temporarily suspended activities, and 19% permanently closed initiatives. A majority of respondents, 79%, identified flexible, core funding as their top need to navigate the ongoing uncertainty.

The disruptions come amid compounding challenges, including shifting public health priorities, reduced access to decision-making spaces, growing misinformation, and new legal or policy restrictions on advocacy and civil society engagement.

Such abrupt changes are eroding the trust between organisations, communities, and government counterparts. One respondent described being instructed to stop a health Programme abruptly, noting the devastating impact on both service delivery and community relationships.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights programs (SRHR) have emerged as particularly vulnerable. Partners reported that the normative ecosystem is being challenged by both SRHR pushback and reduced donor funding.

Several organisations noted that in-school adolescent health Programmes have been suspended due to lack of government commitment to sustain funding. Other reductions included family planning advocacy, gender-based violence prevention, and STI reduction efforts.

Funding cuts have also limited staff engagement in advocacy at both global and national levels, a critical concern in a context where pushback against SRHR and women’s rights is highly organised.

Programs such as safe abortion services, comprehensive sexuality education, and youth-led advocacy have had to scale down due to restrictions on content, reduced funding, and sociopolitical resistance.

The health workforce has also been severely affected. Essential training programmes, staff development, and technical support activities have been curtailed or closed due to funding shortages.

Representatives from midwifery and nursing associations reported that national-level training programmes were immediately closed, while system-wide consequences have been observed in hospitals and health centres through reductions in quality improvement and system-strengthening initiatives.

 Reduced staffing, halted training, and diminished technical support have left many women, children, and adolescents without sustained access to essential services.

Many partners highlighted a shift from long-term, community-based approaches to short-term, outcome-specific projects. Programs focusing on adolescent health and well-being have been scaled back due to resource constraints and donor preferences for rapid results.

 Women’s health and empowerment initiatives, including maternal health, gender-based violence prevention, and workplace health programmes, have experienced interruptions.

Respondents warned that this trend weakens continuity of care, erodes community trust, and undermines long-term impact. Reduced investments in research and development have further constrained innovations in health programming.

Youth-focused programs have been particularly disrupted. Funding uncertainty and legal and policy restrictions on donors have forced organisations to pause adolescent and youth engagement initiatives.

The reduction in outreach to schools and youth centres has sidelined youth leadership, limiting opportunities for young people to influence policies on issues such as tobacco, alcohol, and e-cigarettes, which directly affect their health.

Beyond service delivery, advocacy and capacity-building efforts have also been curtailed. Staff numbers able to engage in global and national advocacy have declined, while workshops, awareness campaigns, and community outreach projects have been reduced in scale, suspended, or shifted online, diminishing their effectiveness.

Partners emphasised the need for collective advocacy, peer learning, and access to decision-making platforms to sustain momentum and ensure their voices are heard in shaping global and national health agendas.

Despite these setbacks, PMNCH partners remain committed to advancing the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents.

Their priorities for resilience include access to flexible core funding, capacity strengthening and training, joint campaigns and coordinated advocacy, engagement in inclusive multi-stakeholder coalitions, and better access to policy platforms.

Partners expressed a desire for collaboration and shared problem-solving, stressing the importance of reducing dependence on external aid and pooling resources to sustain Programmes for vulnerable populations.

“Partners are calling for solidarity, not charity,” said Helen Clark, Board Chair at PMNCH. “They know what works. What they need are the resources and political space to keep doing it.”

The survey gathered insights from 103 organisations across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, representing non-governmental organisations, youth groups, and academic and research institutions.

Most respondents operate at the country level, with strong engagement on adolescent, maternal, and child health, as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights.

PMNCH is calling on donors, policymakers, and global leaders to protect and expand financing for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health, prioritising flexible, long-term funding that enables local organisations to adapt quickly and respond to evolving crises.

“Hold the line on WCAH,” urged Rajat Khosla.

“Every delay, every funding cut, risks reversing years of progress. We need sustained investment and coordinated action to ensure that no woman, child, or adolescent is left behind.”