A global appeal for $1.4 billion in emergency funding aims to deliver essential sexual and reproductive health services to more than 45 million people in crisis-affected countries. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched the initiative to close a critical resource gap that endangers lives, focusing on life-saving care and programs to prevent gender-based violence.
In 2024, humanitarian needs reached new heights, with a record 122.6 million people forcibly displaced by conflicts, disasters, and climate shocks. Half are women and girls. Looking ahead to 2025, some 11 million pregnant women are expected to require urgent support due to violence, displacement, and disrupted health services. These figures resonate for Thai readers as regional crises and climate events continue to touch Southeast Asia. Thailand remains active in regional humanitarian efforts and hosts thousands of refugees and displaced persons, underscoring the practical relevance of resumed funding for frontline health work, NGOs, and civil society engaged in cross-border response.
Across 34 crisis situations worldwide, a stark 75 percent shortfall in resources remains. “With this funding appeal, we are calling on the international community to invest in the health and dignity of women and girls in crisis,” said the UNFPA Executive Director. When funding misses, access to prenatal and postnatal care, safe childbirth, family planning, and violence response narrows, increasing risks for mothers and babies.
Despite these barriers, UNFPA supported reproductive health services for more than 10 million people in crisis contexts in 2024 and helped prevent and respond to gender-based violence for 3.6 million individuals. The organization deployed thousands of midwives and medical teams, supported more than 3,500 health centers, and created 1,600 safe spaces for women and girls. These efforts demonstrate what targeted, well-funded humanitarian action can achieve, even in hard-to-reach settings.
For Thai regional actors, the development underscores the importance of preparedness. UNFPA’s 2025 strategy prioritizes stronger local and national emergency response capacity, including increasing funding routed to local and women-led organizations from 35 percent to 43 percent. This aligns with Thai health and civil society voices that emphasize community-led resilience as key to effective crisis responses.
Practically, UNFPA plans to position emergency medical supplies at hubs around the world to enable rapid response when disasters strike. Early action and swift resource deployment have been shown to improve outcomes for women and girls, particularly in rural or conflict-affected areas.
Culturally, reproductive health in emergencies intersects with Thai values of family, mutual aid, and merit-making, as well as constitutional guarantees of universal health care. While Thailand continues to evolve in sexual rights and protection from gender-based violence, the global appeal serves as a reminder of the work still needed to ensure nobody is left behind during crises.
Looking ahead, leaders warn that climate shocks and ongoing conflicts will continue to drive displacement and strain health systems unless funding gaps close. For Thailand, with vulnerability to floods, droughts, and regional instability, strengthening reproductive health services and gender-based violence prevention in crisis contexts should be a priority for policymakers and development partners.
Thai readers can support by backing international calls for greater humanitarian funding and by strengthening local civil society networks that deliver care where it is most needed. Thailand’s experience in health systems strengthening positions the country to model how reproductive health resilience can be integrated into national and regional disaster responses.
As displacement grows and crises intensify, the global push to protect the health and dignity of women and girls demands urgent action. Thai families, advocates, and institutions can contribute by advocating for better resource allocation, supporting frontline health workers, and participating in community preparedness—ensuring health, safety, and dignity for all, even in times of crisis.
In-text attributions are integrated to reflect research and data from leading institutions and regional bodies:
- Research and insights are based on the UNFPA humanitarian program and related global displacement data
- Regional context draws on Thailand’s ongoing humanitarian engagement and disaster preparedness discussions
- Localized commentary reflects Thai public health and civil society perspectives on community-led resilience