Geneva, Switzerland – A senior UN official called on the international community to increase financial and humanitarian support for refugees and their host communities, warning that declining funding threatens to undermine essential services and exacerbate the suffering of millions of people forced to flee their homes due to conflict, disasters, and humanitarian crises.
The UN official stressed that countries and communities hosting large numbers of refugees are bearing increasing economic and social burdens, necessitating a more equitable sharing of responsibility at the international level through the provision of necessary funding for relief and development programs and the improvement of basic services.
She explained that refugees need not only emergency humanitarian aid, but also real opportunities in education, healthcare, and employment to ensure a dignified life and enhance their self-reliance. She emphasized the importance of supporting host communities, which are facing increasing pressure on their resources and infrastructure.
She stressed that continued funding shortfalls could lead to cuts in food, health, education, and protection programs, potentially pushing more families into even more dire humanitarian situations and destabilizing areas hosting large numbers of displaced persons and refugees.
The UN official called on governments, international institutions, and donors to fulfill their pledges and increase their financial contributions, affirming that investing in supporting refugees and host communities is not only a humanitarian response but also contributes to strengthening stability and development and mitigating the long-term repercussions of crises.
