Humanitarian Underfunding: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

A closer look at the 2024 Underfunded Crisis Index and the role of humanitarian leadership

December 06, 2024 • Reading Time: 5 minutes

Hey fellow humanitarian leader,

Today, I met with MoFA in the country where I am posted.

It was an enjoyable meeting. They asked for more support. Of course they do; according to the Underfunded Crisis Index of the Humanitarian Funding Forecast, they are one of the most underfunded crises.

Their country received less than 50% of the funding, along with 17 other crises around the world. That is a lot of underfunding!

Here are the Index’s categories:

  • Minimal underfunding: 80% or higher

  • Moderate underfunding: between 50% and 80%

  • Severe underfunding: between 40% and 50%

  • Chronic underfunding: 40% or under

Acknowledging that each index has its pros and cons, let’s examine this year’s results more closely and compare them to previous years.

Before getting into the details of the index, here are two words from the sponsor of this email:

Seeking impartial news? Meet 1440.

Every day, 3.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a brief 5-minute email. Enjoy an impartial news experience.

Growing Underfunding

The math is simple here: in 2021, there were 27 underfunding contexts, and in 2024, there were 35.

The prevalence of severe and chronic underfunding has reached critical levels. This year, more than half of the crises—18 out of 35 — fall into these categories, a marked increase from 42% in 2023.

While Myanmar represented the median funding level in 2023, with 59.0% of needs met, Sudan held this position in 2024, with only 49.7%.

Figures always have different interpretations and nuances, but seeing a positive outcome of this year’s index is difficult.

Geography

Latin America and Africa have consistently borne the brunt of underfunding.

The top 10 (or bottom 10) includes six countries in Latin America, three in Africa, and Syria.

On one side, LatAm surprises me. I would not think about those crises as the main ones. But reflecting more about it, it is true that they are contexts considered not as important for donors or maybe not as chronic as the others.

Three Central American crises are new entries in the index: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, accompanied by Madagascar and the regional Afghanistan response.

No surprise, instead, in seeing DRC and South Sudan at the top of this list, as they are, unfortunately, never missing the top 10. They had similar underfunding in 2021 and 2024, showing the systemic limitations of the current funding model.

The chronic problem of humanitarian funding is also underscored by the number of contexts that appeared in the index from 2021 to 2024: 25, 17 of which only had minimal positional changes.

Any Bright Spot?

Interestingly, a context considered one of the most neglected, the Central African Republic, saw a steady increase in the funding received compared to those required:

  • 2021: 54.5% (1.379M$)

  • 2022: 64.6% (1.577M$)

  • 2023: 75.5% (1.817M$)

  • 2024: 78% (1.891M$)

Two contexts mainly show the importance of media coverage in relation to humanitarian funding.

The first is Palestine, which was absent in previous years and had minimal underfunding in 2024, as donors provided 88.8% of what was requested.

The second and more symptomatic country is Ukraine. Before the large-scale operations following February 2022, it was way below 50% of funding secured. In 2023 and 2024, that crisis obtained more than 80% of funding. Once again, the power of communication.

The Role of Humanitarian Leaders

Addressing the persistent underfunding requires strategic leadership and collective action.

Humanitarian leaders like you must advocate for equitable and non-earmarked funding, ensuring that neglected crises receive the attention and resources they deserve.

Resources

Complete our survey to access the 20 Life-Changing Books for Humanitarian Leaders

Thanks for reading,
Luca