Global Humanitarian Overview 2025 Monthly Updates

March update

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Global Humanitarian Overview 2025, March Update (Snapshot as of 31 March 2025)
08 Apr 2025
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Summary

Inter-Agency Coordinated Appeals: March Update

People in Need
307.8M
People Targeted
186.7M
Requirements (US$)
$44.79B
Appeals
43
Inter-Agency Appeals Funding (US$)
$3.05B
Appeals Coverage
7%
Total Humanitarian Funding (US$)
$6.02B

As of end-March, the 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) presents consolidated funding requirements of $44.79 billion to assist 187 million of the 308 million people in need in 73 countries.

To date, reported GHO funding totals $3.05 billion which is less than seven per cent of the current financial requirements. Humanitarian Country Teams are looking at further prioritizing their humanitarian appeals and responses to ensure that the people with the most severe needs are assisted first. This exercise is part of a larger set of actions – the humanitarian reset - to prioritize urgent life-saving actions, including protection, and streamline coordination.

Timely reporting of humanitarian contributions from donors and recipients is crucial to provide reliable and complete data for trend analysis. All partners are encouraged to report funding to the Financial Tracking Service (fts@un.org).

Myanmar

On 28 March, two powerful earthquakes struck central Myanmar with epicentres near Mandalay and Sagaing cities. The disaster has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation, where prior to the earthquake more than 19.9 million people were already in need of humanitarian assistance. The resilience of affected communities is being severely tested as many have lost their livelihoods and means of survival. Humanitarian efforts continue with rapid needs assessment and emergency assistance initiated in the most severely affected regions.

How to contribute?

The Myanmar Humanitarian Fund (MHF), established in 2007, is a rapid and flexible funding mechanism that supports national and international NGOs and UN agencies to deliver lifesaving aid. Contributing to the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund ensures that contributions are allocated to the highest-priority emergency relief efforts as decided locally. To contribute to the fund, click here.

To help trusted and vetted humanitarian organizations on the front lines, you can contribute to the MHF. The MHF is a multi-donor pooled fund that supports the highest-priority emergency needs as decided by local communities. Individual donors can contribute online at crisisrelief.un.org/myanmar-earthquake. Donors can also write to ocha.donor.relations@un.org. For corporations, foundations, and large individual donations, please email OCHAPrivateSector@un.org.

Syria Event

The ninth Brussels Conference “Standing with Syria: Meeting the needs for a successful transition” took place on 17 March 2025. The Ministerial meeting gathered key regional and international partners together with Syria’s interim authorities. It focused on addressing the immediate needs of the Syrian people, in the country and in the region, and supporting an inclusive transition. During the event, the international community pledged more than $3.19 billion / € 2.93 billion in funding to address humanitarian and socio-economic needs in Syria and its neighbouring countries in 2025. More than $1.41 billion / €1.29 billion was announced for 2026 and beyond. Full details about the pledges are available in the Financial Pledging Statement.

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Regional Focus: West and Central Africa

West and Central Africa faces a complex and interconnected web of crises, each of which exacerbates existing humanitarian needs, erodes resilience and contributes to the spread of the crisis. Violence, instability and the effects of climate change put lives and livelihoods at risk, undermine protection, fuel displacement, and hinder access to basic services. Eight countries in the region have Humanitarian Needs and Response Plans: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Niger and Nigeria. There are also two Regional Refugee Response Plans for DRC and Suda.

The region continues to face an elevated risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles and Mpox. Insufficient functional healthcare services in conflict-affected areas and flooding, which destroys health and sanitation facilities and limits access to clean water, heighten these risks. The effects of the climate crisis have exacerbated vulnerabilities due to the impacts of flooding, drought, increased temperatures, desertification and the degradation of agricultural land. Humanitarian access is also a major challenge across large parts of the region.

The two main Sahel crisis epicentres are the Central Sahel in the west and the Lake Chad Basin in the east. Porous borders and transnational challenges make this a truly regional crisis, and one which is spilling over from the Sahel itself into neighbouring countries such as Mauritania and the coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea (Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo). This spillover exacerbates social tensions as pressure on limited social services and natural resources increases. In the east, the continued violence in Sudan has created a growing crisis in eastern Chad, where a large proportion of those fleeing violence have sought refuge.

In Central Africa, the humanitarian crisis continues in Cameroon’s North-West and South-West regions, as well as in the Central African Republic. In the DRC, a country with the largest humanitarian appeal in the world, the situation has recently deteriorated as the conflict in eastern DRC (North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri) causes largescale displacement, disrupts humanitarian access and programming, and exacerbates protection risks.

Last year, 7.3 million inhabitants of the region were affected by flooding, leaving 1,527 dead, 1.7 million displaced, and hundreds of thousands without homes, agricultural lands or access to basic services. Climate-induced natural disasters will likely affect the region again this year.

Of the 57.1 million people in need across West and Central Africa, humanitarians plan to provide 35 million with humanitarian assistance and protection in 2025, requiring $7.6 billion. Given the financial climate, this total is not likely to be reached and therefore a rigorous evaluation is underway to identify those populations facing the most severe humanitarian needs and to prioritize programmes which contribute most directly to saving lives. Chad and Nigeria have completed

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso continues to face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, driven mainly by insecurity and climate shocks. In 2025, 5.9 million people require humanitarian assistance and protection, and more than two million people remain displaced, with many living in areas with limited access to basic services. The most severe needs persist in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection, health, food security, nutrition and education sectors. Food insecurity and nutrition concerns will become even more acute during the lean season in June to August. Health, education, and water services face major disruptions, heightening protection risks, especially for women and children. Access also remains an issue in some areas, mainly due to insecurity. Underfunding is also a major constraint on aid operations, with funding cuts already forcing the suspension of essential programmes across the country.

Cameroon

Cameroon is grappling with multiple, overlapping humanitarian crises that continue to strain local capacities and deepen vulnerabilities. In 2025, 3.3 million people need humanitarian assistance, with 2.1 million targeted. A reprioritization process is currently underway. The situation in the Far North remains volatile, with over 390,000 people displaced due to non-state armed group attacks and intercommunal violence. In the Northwest and Southwest regions, conflict has uprooted nearly 630,000 people, triggering severe protection risks. Meanwhile, the East hosts over 380,000 refugees from the Central African Republic, straining basic services in host communities. Food insecurity and malnutrition are rising, especially in conflict-affected areas, while humanitarian access remains restricted by insecurity, poor infrastructure, and administrative hurdles. Despite these challenges, humanitarian actors reached two million people in 2024.

Central African Republic

The Central African Republic remains one of the world’s most complex and underfunded humanitarian crises. In 2025, 2.4 million people—nearly 40 per cent of the population—require humanitarian assistance due to protracted conflict, climate shocks, and regional spillover effects. Armed groups continue to control parts of the country, driving widespread displacement: 465,000 people are internally displaced, and 675,000 refugees are hosted in neighbouring countries. Cross-border violence and tensions over natural resources continue to fuel intercommunal conflict.

Amid a broader decline in humanitarian funding, partners face growing constraints in maintaining critical operations and responding to the needs of the most vulnerable people. The drastic reduction of funding forces difficult decisions on whom and whom not to assist, risking reversing the gains made over the last years. At the same time, new bureaucratic requirements are adding additional burdens for NGO operations, including access to hard-to-reach areas. Despite these challenges, humanitarian actors reached 1.7 million people in 2024, including in previously inaccessible areas.

Chad

Chad is experiencing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with 40 per cent of its population requiring aid. In 2025, an estimated seven million people will need assistance, driven by climate hazards, health emergencies, and regional instability. Floods have exacerbated food insecurity, with 3.7 million people at risk of acute hunger during the lean season. Malnutrition admissions are at alarming levels. Since April 2023, over 740,000 Sudanese refugees and 220,000 Chadian returnees have fled to eastern Chad due to the conflict in Sudan, with more arrivals expected. Southern Chad faces intercommunal violence and spillover insecurity from the Central African Republic, displacing nearly 30,000 people. In the Lake Chad region, non-state armed groups continue attacks, causing further displacement, with 221,000 internally displaced persons and 41,500 returnees recorded. The crisis is straining resources, exacerbating vulnerabilities, and heightening the need for urgent humanitarian interventions.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The escalating violence in eastern DRC is worsening one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with risks of regional spillover and devastating consequences. Civilians bear the brunt, and are facing mass displacement. Many have been displaced multiple times, while internally displaced persons (IDP) sites have been plundered, destroyed, or abandoned. Over 900,000 IDPs face extreme precarity after site destruction. Thousands have been killed or injured. At least 260,000 children have been displaced, many separated from their caregivers and increasingly vulnerable to exploitation. Violence cuts off vulnerable communities from livelihoods, services, and aid. Despite insecurity, humanitarian actors are on the ground, resuming aid at scale where possible. In January, over 1.4 million people were reached in accessible areas of North and South Kivu.

Mali

Mali continues to face a complex humanitarian crisis driven mainly by a volatile security environment and exacerbated by structural vulnerabilities, socio-economic challenges and climate change. Approximately 6.4 million people – corresponding to 28 per cent of Mali's population – need humanitarian assistance and protection. The situation is particularly concerning in insecure areas of northern and central Mali, where violence and attacks have forced people to flee their homes and created challenges for humanitarian organizations seeking to provide assistance. The most severe humanitarian needs are mainly concentrated in the food security, nutrition, health, WASH and protection sectors. Food security and nutrition concerns will escalate during the June to August lean season, with 1.5 million people projected to face acute hunger (IPC Phase 3+), including about 2,600 people expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5). Under-funding remains the top constraint on aid operations, with essential programmes across Mali suspending activities.

Niger

Niger continues to face a complex and protracted humanitarian crisis, driven in particular by heightened insecurity. The deadly attack that took place on 17 March 2025 in a mosque in Fambita (Tillabéri Region) during peak prayer time, which claimed the lives of 44 people, is a stark illustration of the scourge ravaging the Central Sahel region and triggering mass population displacements. Recurrent climate shocks, growing economic pressures, and migratory movements from neighbouring countries are further exacerbating the situation. These shocks are generating significant multisectoral needs that must be urgently addressed. According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview, in 2025, an estimated 2.6 million people will require humanitarian assistance. In a context of shrinking external resources and limited local and regional capacities, the collective goal to save lives, restore dignity, and reduce vulnerability is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Strict prioritization of needs and interventions is therefore a critical imperative.

Nigeria

The conflict in the north-east is continuing. In 2025, an estimated 7.8 million people in the region need humanitarian assistance, and critically, protection. Nigeria continues to face extensive humanitarian challenges, with an estimated 30.6 million people projected to face food insecurity during the 2025 lean season. Additionally, 1.8 million children in six north-eastern and north-western states are at risk of severe acute malnutrition– among the highest levels globally. Weak government institutions and ongoing conflict involving Boko Haram, as well as the activities of armed criminal gangs across the north of Nigeria, have led to an acute protection crisis, displacing millions, destroying critical infrastructure, disrupting livelihoods and restricting humanitarian assistance. Despite these hardships, communities are leveraging their capacities, demonstrating their resilience and adaptability.

Regional Refugee Response Plans

The Democratic Republic of Congo

The ongoing conflict in DRC, especially the security situation in North and South Kivu, has triggered unprecedented levels of displacement and humanitarian need, with the number of IDPs reaching a record 7.3 million and forcing over 1.1 million people to seek asylum across Africa.

Since the beginning of the year, close to 116,000 Congolese have fled to neighboring countries, including Burundi, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The vast majority - over 95 per cent - are hosted in just two countries, Burundi (70,000) and Uganda (35,000). Transit and reception centers at the borders are overwhelmed and health and hygiene services are also under increasing strain. In western DRC, ethnic and intercommunal violence in Mai-Ndombé Province has displaced some 5,800 people to the DRC since late January 2025.

In response to the latest development, UNHCR and partners are set to launch a revised 2024–2025 DRC Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) in April. For 2025 alone, the plan appeals for $690 million to implement activities to support over 2.1 million people – 1.06 million refugees from the DRC and 1.04 million host community members in seven countries. It focuses on delivering life-saving support and livelihood opportunities while also promoting resilience-building and long-term solutions for displaced populations.

Sudan RRP

The devasting Sudan conflict that erupted in April 2023 has led to12.6 million people, including 8.6 million internally displaced and three million refugees, and 762,000 returnees fleeing to neighbouring countries, including CAR, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda. Approximately 25 million people—nearly half of Sudan’s population—now require humanitarian assistance. Chad is critically impacted, as it hosts close to 800,000 Sudanese refugees, straining local resources and infrastructure. In CAR, over 35,000 Sudanese refugees face limited access to basic services amid ongoing security challenges. In response, the 2025 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan, with a budget of 1.8 billion, was launched, covering life-saving assistance such as protection, shelter, clean water, healthcare, sanitation, education, and site management for refugees and host communities.

West and Central Africa Requirements and Funding

Humanitarian funding requirements have consistently increased in the West and Central Africa region, rising from $7.23 billion in 2019 to $8.44 billion in 2025. The largest appeal in 2025 is in the HNRP for DRC which amounts to $2.5 billion, followed by Chad with $1.5 billion. DRC has consistently been the largest humanitarian appeal in West and Central Africa throughout the period, with funding requirements rising over 50 per cent from 2019 to 2025. Nigeria, Chad, and Mali also had significant annual appeals exceeding $700 million.

From 2019 to 2021 funding to the region was around $3.4 billion, covering nearly half of the funding requirements. It saw an increase in 2022 and in 2024, reaching $4 billion and $4.3 billion respectively. DRC consistently received the largest share of regional funding throughout the years, peaking at $1.33 billion in 2024. As of end of March 2025, it stands at $194 million.

As of end of March 2025, $523 million were received against the region’s funding requirements.

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Funding for Local and National Actors

Since its beginning in 2016, the Grand Bargain has promoted increased funding to local and national actors (LNA) as one of its principal objectives. More specifically, signatories have committed to provide 25 per cent of humanitarian funding to LNAs as directly as possible to improve humanitarian response for affected people and reduce transactional costs. In 2023, localization was reaffirmed as a Grand Bargain priority for better global humanitarian outcomes. To further enhance transparency and accountability, the Grand Bargain signatories, through the caucus on funding for localization in 2023, agreed on a collective monitoring and accountability framework. This framework outlines how to measure and report funding to local and national actors via public platforms like the Financial Tracking Service(FTS), vis-a-vis ensuring data compatibility and promoting increased accountability to the 25 per cent funding target.

Collectively meeting the 25 per cent target has proven difficult. One of the challenges in applying the framework and measuring progress was the need for consistent definitions of LNAs. In 2023-2024, OCHA, in collaboration with the Grand Bargain Localization Working Group, undertook a reclassification of humanitarian organizations and developed guidance in line with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee – Grand Bargain localization marker definitions. This work involved reclassifying over 13,800 organizations registered in FTS, OCHA planning tools, and pooled funds’ databases, aligning tools and services to enhance tracking of funding flows and promote more inclusive and accountable humanitarian action.

The chart below illustrates that the amount of funding recorded for LNAs in FTS increased significantly between 2021 and 2022 and again between 2022 and 2023. This was, in large part, due to improved reporting and the use of more consistent tracking methods. In 2024, however, the amount decreased. The share of funding to local and national actors remains low, reaching only seven per cent of all recorded funding to the GHO at its peak in 2023.

Pooled Funds’ contributions to localization efforts

Given the current constrained funding environment and a renewed focus on efficiencies, funding to national actors is more important than ever. In 2024, the localization efforts of the Country Based Pooled Funds / Regional Humanitarian Pooled Funds (CBPF/RHPF) reached record levels as the Funds allocated funding directly to 336 local and national organizations, representing 48 per cent of all funding recipients – the largest share ever. The recipient organizations directly received $329 million, or 35 per cent of the total amount allocated by the Funds in 2024, breaking the 2023 record of 31 per cent and far exceeding the 25 per cent global benchmark set by the Grand Bargain. Including indirect funding through sub-grants, total funding to local and national actors reached an impressive $426 million or 46 per cent of the total amount allocated, exceeding the former record by seven per cent.

The CBPFs/RHPFs have not only increased the share of funding reaching local and national partners, but also tailored funding to meet their specific needs, thus promoting equitable partnerships. This included acknowledging that costs related to staffing, capacity development and security are eligible for coverage in project budgets. The Funds also further strengthened the participation of LNAs in Fund governance processes to ensure that local and national perspectives inform CBPF/ RHPF priorities and policies. Finally, the CBPFs/RHPFs prioritized developing the institutional and technical capacities of LNAs, including through thematic guidance notes and online sessions for NGOs to share experiences via the CBPF-NGO Dialogue Platform.

Although the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) can only directly fund UN agencies – in line with its General Assembly mandate – in 2024 it again played an important role in enabling humanitarian action by local and national actors. In the two 2024 Underfunded Emergencies (UFE) rounds, the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) encouraged UN country teams to consult with national and local partners on the design and prioritization of CERF funding, and to strengthen their engagement in the implementation of grants. The RC/HCs were also invited to set ambitious targets – based on the local context – for the amount of CERF funding to be sub-granted to national and local implementing partners. As a result, about a quarter of the 2024 CERF UFE allocations was sub-granted to national and local organizations.

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Pooled Funds

Total 2025 Allocations (US$)
$384M
Countries Assisted with 2025 Allocations
22

In March 2025, the OCHA-managed Pooled Funds allocated grants across 15 countries amounting to $226.2 million to enable essential and life-saving humanitarian assistance. Of this amount, CBPFs and RHPF allocated $92.4 million while the CERF allocated $133.8 million.

For more information about allocations, please visit the CBPFs’ Data Hub and CERF's website.

As part of these allocations, CERF’s first UFE round of the year provided $100 million to support life-saving assistance in 10 of the world’s most underfunded and neglected crises across Africa, Asia and Latin America. This $100 million allocation will be accompanied by an additional funding envelope of up to $10 million to catalyze climate action in life-saving humanitarian assistance. This thematic funding will be made available to the 10 selected country contexts, on a competitive basis, and will be used to advance climate-smart life-saving humanitarian that builds affected communities’ adaptive capacity and resilience to climate shocks and stresses, in fragile contexts. This envelope will be made possible thanks to the CERF Climate Action Account. Please see press release here.

CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND

Allocations endorsed by the ERC as of 31 March 2025

March Allocations (US$)
$133.8M
Total 2025 Allocations (US$)
$163.1M
Countries Assisted with Allocations in March
12

Allocations in focus: In March, CERF allocated $17 million to provide humanitarian assistance to more than 374,000 people affected by conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The funding responded to the sharp escalation in fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese Armed Forces since January 2025, which has caused mass displacement, disrupted supply routes, and increased risks of disease outbreaks and protection violations. Based on joint multi-sectoral needs assessments to prioritize needs, the allocation is ensuring strategically targeted and timely support, including food aid, healthcare, WASH, child protection, shelter, and support for survivors of gender-based violence. The allocation also facilitates logistics services and protection monitoring to ensure that urgent needs are met despite access constraints.

In addition, the trigger threshold for the Anticipatory Action framework for cholera in the DRC was reached on Thursday, 13 March, following a steady increase in suspected cases. This prompted the immediate allocation of $750,000 in pre-arranged funding from CERF. The allocation aims to urgently contain the outbreak in Goma and surrounding areas, by ensuring timely detection and

Contributions: Projections for 2025 contributions remain less than $400 million, which would be the lowest amount since 2009.

COUNTRY-BASED POOLED FUNDS

Allocations launched by 31 March 2025

March Allocations (US$)
$92.4M
Total 2025 Allocations (US$)
$220.9M
Countries Assisted with Allocations in March
6

Allocation in focus: In March, the Sudan Humanitarian Fund allocated $24.5 million to address urgent famine-related needs, aiming to assist people in the most affected regions across Sudan. The allocation responds to a rapidly escalating food crisis, with famine conditions confirmed in nine localities and a further 21 at risk, driven by prolonged conflict, mass displacement, and systemic collapse of basic services. The Fund is supporting integrated responses in nutrition, health, and WASH to prevent further deterioration, especially ahead of the lean season peak. To ensure that life-saving assistance reaches the most vulnerable communities, an estimated $5 million of the allocation is dedicated to hard-to-reach areas, and preference is being given to national NGOs.

Contributions: As of the end of March 2025, contributions to the CBPFs is projected to reach $367 million, surpassing the $349 million recorded by the same time in 2024. This year, 24 contributors—including private sector entities and regional authorities—have supported the CBPFs, up from 23 during the same period last year.

Pooled Funds Impact Story

Clean water helps patients in rural, drought-stricken Malawi

"The arrival of clean, reliable water has been a blessing for us," says Dyman Saidi, chairperson of the water system here. "Before, we had to fetch water from the Masanje River, and the water wasn’t safe. Now, the health centre has constant access to clean water, which makes a real difference for people here.”

A solar-powered water system installed by UNICEF with funding from the CERF has made safe water more accessible for women and children in this area of drought-stricken Malawi. In March 2024, Malawi declared a State of Disaster in 23 of its 28 districts due to severe drought caused by El Niño. Because of poor crop harvests, some 4.2 million people faced high levels of food insecurity. The crisis is worsened by poverty, limited access to basic services, and poor water and sanitation, increasing disease risks and harming health, especially for vulnerable groups. The UN allocated $4.6 million from CERF to provide urgent support to nearly 280,000 people for food, health, education, nutrition, water and sanitation.

Building the new water point at the clinic also encourages people to get important health checks. Moses Mphatso, a health surveillance assistant at Chikuluma Health Post, has seen the impact on their work. "The new system has made it easier for us to provide proper care," Mphatso says. "In the past, we struggled with hygiene without clean water, but now we can disinfect equipment and maintain a clean environment for mothers, babies, and other patients."

As a young mother of two children, Emily explains, “Knowing that the health centre has clean water makes me feel more confident, especially when I need medical services." It also means the surrounding community has easier access to clean water, which saves time, especially for women. "I used to spend hours fetching water, but now I have more time for other tasks," says Emily.

Based on original content from UNICEF.

More informationon the CERF allocation.

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