UNHCR Warns Funding Shortfall Puts 8.3 Million Refugees at Risk

The U.N. refugee agency says severe funding cuts put nearly 8.3 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people at risk of losing vital assistance, as its protection systems approach a breaking point. UNHCR reported receiving only about $2.7 billion—32% of the roughly $8.5 billion it needs—by the end of July, while available funding fell from $5.2 billion in 2024 to $3.9 billion in 2025. The agency says aid cuts by the United States and other donors are contributing to the shortfall, despite reforms and efforts to prioritize its most critical work. The consequences include registration delays for refugees in Chad and Sudan, shrinking child-protection services, reduced support for survivors of gender-based violence, and delays in assistance for displaced people and returnees in Syria and Afghanistan. UNHCR officials warn that services can stop functioning altogether once funding drops below a critical threshold, leaving vulnerable people without documentation, protection, or basic support.