GNV News, November 2, 2025

In a new report released in October 2025, UN Women revealed that more than one-third of the civil society and women’s rights organizations surveyed around the world have suspended or shut down programmes to end violence against women and girls due to funding cuts. The survey also found that 85% of the organizations surveyed anticipate serious rollbacks in laws and protections for women and girls. It further reported that only 5% of surveyed organizations expect to be able to sustain their programmes for more than two years.

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations worldwide, with an estimated 736 million women, about one in three, experiencing physical or sexual violence. In this context, funding cuts are halting the provision of services such as safe shelters, legal assistance, and survivor support, further increasing the risk of violence and femicide (※). The same report also warns of wide-ranging indirect impacts of reduced funding. For example, declining resources for organizations providing such support lead to increased staff burnout, deteriorating workplace conditions due to lack of operational resources, and weakened voices defending human rights.

In response to these findings, UN Women recommends improving funding mechanisms at national and international levels and providing long-term financial support to civil society organizations and women’s human rights groups. It also encourages cross-organizational and cross-border cooperation to revive feminist movements.

※ Femicide refers to the intentional killing with gender-related motives.

Learn more about sexual violence against women → “One in eight girls under 18 worldwide experience sexual violence”

Learn more about femicide → “World: The reality of femicide”

“Stronger together,” mural against violence against women, Spain (Photo: Daniel Capilla / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY-SA 4.0])