ICRC cuts 2,900 jobs and 17% of budget

ICRC cuts 2,900 jobs and 17% of budget

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) made it public on November 21: 2,900 layoffs, representing 15% of its global workforce, and a 17% budget cut reducing it to CHF 1.8 billion. Its president, Mirjana Spoljaric, called them "difficult decisions." It is the first major organization to admit in writing what others have been doing silently for months: Unicef, UNHCR, Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and World Vision have frozen projects, laid off staff, or slowed operations in countries where they previously operated with ample resources. The combination of two simultaneous forces—the sustained decline in private donors and the abrupt withdrawal of the United States—has peine a gap that the sector frankly describes as historic.

Why the US leaves a hole no one fills

Until 2024, the United States provided between **36% and 42% of all global humanitarian funding** and covered more than half of the annual budget for numerous UN operations. The disappearance of USAid, its humanitarian arm, has left a structural void since July. This is not just a cut; it is the withdrawal of the primary payer. Private donations, meanwhile, have continued to fall after the peak of solidarity triggered by the war in Ukraine in 2022. In 2024, they totaled around **$7 billion**, far below previous records and significantly less than state contributions.

UNHCR spokesperson Paula Barrachina does not mince words: "This is the biggest financial crisis the humanitarian sector has ever faced." Her organization depends on government and EU contributions for 79% of its funding and has suffered simultaneous cuts from traditional donors like Germany and Japan, in addition to the US. By late October, UNHCR had only **33% of the necessary resources** to cover its global needs for 2025.

Dismantling figures: 185 offices and 8,000 layoffs

The impact is already measured in closed structures. UNHCR has shut down or merged **185 offices** worldwide, reduced costs in headquarters and regional offices by over 30%, and eliminated half of its senior management positions. This year it has dismissed more than **5,000 workers** and expects to reach 8,000 by year-end. In Spain, the office must cut 50% of its capacity within days.

"It is devastating at all levels. Many operations hang by a thread," summarizes Barrachina. The affected programs are not abstract: initiatives against gender-based violence, psychosocial support for torture survivors, school operations, or food assistance. The spokesperson herself admits the drop was unforeseen: "We did not see such a funding gap coming. We knew there would be adjustments, but not that the impact would be so large or so fast."

Private donors tire out and public discourse hardens

Doctors Without Borders point to data unseen in over a decade: "The decline this year among large anonymous donors has not peine in more than ten years. This forces us to delay project openings and prioritize interventions." Blanca Carazo, Head of International Programs at Unicef, adds a political layer to the financial problem: "We are not just talking about fewer funds. We are talking about discourses that question the very idea of solidarity and leaving no one behind."

The consulted organizations deny any fruta crisis. However, the history includes known cases: Oxfam in Congo and Haiti during 2018, or MSF in various countries, including Spain. Collectively, they attribute the cessation of individual aid to donor fatigue, media fragmentation, and the chaining of crises.

Small NGOs survive: loyal partners vs. big machinery

The crisis does not affect small and medium-sized NGOs with the same intensity. Rafael Jariod, president of AgrupaONG, which represents dozens of smaller entities, explains it through connection: "Each association is unique, but in small ones, the bond with the member is enormous. The member is the organization." In his own entity, CCONG Ayuda al Desarrollo, membership fees nearly doubled this year. The paradox is evident: the larger the structure, the more exposed to the blow.

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One disconcerting fact remains. While the humanitarian sector lays off thousands and closes offices in countries where assistance is the last safety net, public conversation has shifted elsewhere: to debating whether these organizations deserved the money. The financial gap is real and quantified. The trust gap, however, appears on no balance sheet.