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Don’t let the lights go out on women and girls in crises

Women and girls living through humanitarian crises are at risk of being overlooked, just as they are at their most vulnerable.

From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Haiti, Sudan and beyond, a lack of funding for reproductive health care or treatment for and prevention of gender-based violence causes untold suffering for women and girls, millions of whom are already experiencing the horrors of war, climate change and natural disasters.

As support becomes more and more scarce, women and girls are being cast into darkness in their hour of greatest need.

Funding shortages in these communities mean we cannot hire midwives to help women deliver safely. We cannot procure life-saving medicines or equipment to enable safe births in clinics. We cannot deploy mobile health teams to displacement camps where needs are highest. And safe spaces for rape survivors are forced to shutter their doors.

Without funding for women and girls in danger, their daily reality is bleak, their choices, chances and futures denied them. We cannot accept a world where giving birth safely is left to chance. A world in which where you live determines whether you live. 

Please join us to shine the spotlight on women and girls in crises. Help keep the lights on – before it's too late.
 

The cost of inaction

60%

of preventable maternal deaths happen in crisis zones

Source: UNFPA

11 Million

pregnant women will require humanitarian aid in 2025

Source: UNFPA Humanitarian Action Overview 2025

1 in 5

women in humanitarian crises are at risk of gender-based violence

Source: International Rescue Committee

Just 27%

of the funding required for gender-based violence protection was received in 2024

Source: Global Humanitarian Overview 2025

3.6 Million

women had access to gender-based violence prevention services in 2024, supported by UNFPA

Source: UNFPA Humanitarian Action Overview 2025

Underfunded. Overlooked. Left in the shadows.

Right now, millions of women and girls in humanitarian crises are being left without the care and protection they need to survive, let alone thrive. From safe childbirth to protection from violence, their basic rights are in peril as donors lose support and are forced to choose whose lives to save. 

Flexible contributions are critical to delivering timely, life-saving support in these overlooked emergencies. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through the Humanitarian Thematic Fund (HTF) – UNFPA’s most flexible humanitarian funding mechanism. The HTF enables rapid, strategic support for acute, protracted, and forgotten crises through pooled, multi-donor contributions.

This map highlights 10 of the most underfunded crises worldwide — places where women and girls are being pushed to the margins when they need support the most.

We cannot let them be forgotten. Explore the map and take action today.

The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNFPA concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Due to coding limitations, the wording across the indicators is standard, both in the global page and the individual country pages. The wording is applied homogeneously to all reporting offices and is by no means an endorsement or statement of recognition of sovereignty. A dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.

A dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

How You Can Help Keep the Lights On

For individuals

Spread the word, and donate: Use the hashtag #LightsOn, share our message, and give what you can. Every action matters.

Donate now

For international donors

Fund the Forgotten: Contribute to UNFPA’s Humanitarian Thematic Fund, a flexible fund that enables us to respond where the need is greatest – especially in neglected crises.

Pledge Now

 

Together, we can keep the lights on women and girls in crises. 
 

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Frequently asked questions

This campaign aims to raise awareness and funds for humanitarian crises, where the health and protection needs of women and girls are most consistently and acutely underfunded.  We're working to ensure that their needs are met, wherever they are.

Despite urgent needs, some crises receive little to no attention or funding from the international community. These include prolonged conflicts in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, long-term instability and violence as in Haiti, or protracted crises due to persistent economic crises and political and social challenges in Venezuela. Our campaign shines the spotlight on these neglected emergencies to raise awareness and resources. 

In humanitarian crises, women and girls are uniquely affected. They face higher risks of gender-based violence, complications in pregnancy and childbirth, and limited access to essential health services. Supporting them also means supporting entire communities.

Your donation supports UNFPA’s work in neglected emergencies, providing essential services like safe birth, protection from gender-based violence, and essential supplies for women and girls.

Yes, in most countries. Please consult your local tax authority or check our donation platform for more information specific to your region.

Absolutely. Recurring donations help us plan ahead and respond more effectively. You can choose a monthly giving option during the donation process.

Spread the word using the hashtag #LightsOut; follow us on social media, share our campaign page, and encourage others to join the movement.

Flexible funding allows UNFPA to respond quickly and effectively wherever the needs are greatest — including in underfunded crises that often don’t make headlines. It ensures resources can reach women and girls who are most at risk, without being tied to specific projects or locations. 

Yes — and we strongly encourage it. Core resources are the most flexible form of funding, enabling UNFPA to deliver where needs are greatest, respond swiftly to crises, and invest in long-term solutions, all while keeping administrative costs low. However, core contributions should be complemented by flexible humanitarian resources so that critical, life-saving humanitarian services reach women and girls when and where they are needed most.