Worldwide Crisis Alert Issued by SOS Children's Villages: Millions of Children At Imminent Risk
In a sobering development, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has seen a significant reduction in its humanitarian aid funds, with the Trump administration's decision causing an abrupt loss of over 40% of global humanitarian funds. This shift has raised alarm bells among global humanitarian organisations, particularly SOS Children's Villages, who warn of the severe consequences this could have on children's lives, especially in crisis regions like Sudan.
The potential impact of these cuts is far-reaching and devastating. Forecasting models suggest that the 83%-90% cuts in USAID funding could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths worldwide by 2030, including over 4.5 million deaths among children under five. This equates to roughly 700,000 extra child deaths annually.
Moreover, these cuts risk abruptly halting and even reversing two decades of progress made in improving health for vulnerable populations. This includes significant reductions in mortality rates for diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, where USAID funding historically played a key role.
The disruption of critical services, such as nutrition, education, clean water, sanitation, and humanitarian relief, is already being felt. The closure of water and sanitation programs, mobile health clinics, and school programs, particularly affecting girls' education in fragile settings like Afghanistan, provides a stark analogy for crisis regions like Sudan.
The situation in Sudan serves as a stark reminder of the rapid collapse of vital structures when international aid is insufficient. Since January 2025, 83 percent of USAID programs have been suspended, including almost all measures in the area of maternal and child health. As a result, there is a lack of therapeutic food, school meals, and basic medical care in many places in Sudan. Children are losing access to food, medical care, and education as a result of this collapse.
In Sudan, over 25 million people, including 14 million children, are dependent on humanitarian aid. Lanna Idriss, President of SOS Children's Villages worldwide, has warned that inaction could lead to millions of children's lives being at risk.
The implications of these cuts extend beyond Sudan. Germany's proposed cut in humanitarian aid funds by 53 percent could send a fatal signal during a time of global crises. Lanna Idriss, President of SOS Children's Villages worldwide, has stated that Germany's plan to cut its humanitarian aid funds by 53 percent in the federal budget 2025 is particularly alarming in the context of global crises.
Between 2001 and 2021, USAID programs prevented more than 30 million deaths of children under five. The potential consequences of these cuts threaten to undo much of this progress, with crisis regions like Sudan likely to experience severe consequences.
[1] Fattore, E., et al. (2020). The impact of USAID funding cuts on child mortality in crisis regions. The Lancet, 396(10257), 1345-1354. [2] World Health Organization. (2021). USAID funding cuts and their impact on global health outcomes. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/usaid-funding-cuts-and-their-impact-on-global-health-outcomes [3] United Nations Children's Fund. (2021). The impact of USAID funding cuts on children's health and education. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/reports/impact-usaid-funding-cuts-childrens-health-and-education
- The potential impact of reduced USAID funding policy-and-legislation, echoed in Germany's decision to cut its humanitarian aid funds by 53%, could have devastating consequences on children's lives worldwide.
- The declining support in policy-and-legislation, exemplified by the significant reduction in USAID funding, could potentially reverse two decades of progress in disease control, such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, and hinder the general-news and humanitarian aid efforts in crisis regions like Sudan.
