UN Women has received US$5 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to expand life-saving humanitarian assistance for women and girls affected by conflict and crisis across five countries.
Announced on 12 November 2026, the funding is expected to reach an additional 400,000 women, girls and their family members in Haiti, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar and Syria, strengthening access to essential services in communities facing displacement, insecurity and humanitarian emergencies.
The allocation has been made through CERF’s first-ever Gender Equality Funding Envelope, a dedicated financing mechanism intended to ensure that humanitarian assistance responds more effectively to the specific needs of women and girls.
The investment will support access to safe spaces, psychosocial care, protection services and referrals, dignity kits, emergency cash assistance and livelihood support. These services are particularly important for women and girls experiencing displacement, violence, economic insecurity and disruption to essential public services.
A central component of the initiative is strengthening local women’s organisations working on the frontlines of humanitarian emergencies. These organisations often provide critical assistance to vulnerable communities, including survivors of violence and families who have lost access to healthcare, education and stable livelihoods.
The new funding is intended to help these organisations sustain and expand their services at a time when international humanitarian resources are under increasing pressure.
Across conflict-affected regions, women and girls face heightened risks of gender-based violence, exploitation and economic exclusion. Displacement and the breakdown of essential services can further restrict access to healthcare, safe shelter and education.
Women also frequently carry additional responsibilities for children, older family members and other dependants, often while facing reduced opportunities to earn an income.
The funding announcement comes amid growing concern over reductions in international humanitarian assistance and their impact on organisations delivering services to women and girls.
In July 2026, UN Women reported that at least one million women and girls had lost access to critical support since January 2025 as funding reductions affected women’s organisations operating in humanitarian settings.
The organisation also found that 84 per cent of surveyed women’s organisations had experienced increased demand for their services, while nearly nine in ten reported being unable to meet existing levels of need.
Against this backdrop, the new CERF allocation represents an effort to protect essential services and strengthen locally led humanitarian responses.
The Gender Equality Funding Envelope also recognises the role of women as leaders in humanitarian action, rather than solely as recipients of assistance. By supporting local women’s organisations, the initiative seeks to strengthen their ability to identify community priorities, coordinate responses and deliver services suited to local conditions.
The five recipient countries face different humanitarian challenges, ranging from armed conflict and displacement to economic instability and disruptions to essential services.
Although the funding has been secured, the projected reach of 400,000 additional beneficiaries remains a programme target. The announcement does not specify how the US$5 million will be distributed among the five countries or the timeframe for reaching all intended beneficiaries.
The initiative reflects a broader effort within the United Nations humanitarian system to integrate gender equality into emergency financing and ensure that women and girls remain central to crisis response planning.
Through the new allocation, UN Women aims to expand access to essential assistance while strengthening the capacity of local organisations to support women, girls and families facing some of the world’s most challenging humanitarian conditions.
