85% of Ukrainian women’s NGOs concerned about worsening living conditions for women due to US funding halt – report

According to a rapid assessment titled “The Impact of the Suspension of US External Assistance on Ukrainian Women’s Organizations”, the suspension of US financial support has caused concern among women’s non-governmental organizations regarding the negative consequences for the women’s movement in Ukraine. The majority of respondents expressed fears that this will worsen the living conditions of women and girls, lead to regression in achieving gender equality, and reduce the priority of gender equality issues by the government.

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The surveyed organisations indicated that the funding suspension, in their opinion, could weaken support for the advancement of women’s rights.

Furthermore, 65% of respondents believe that competition among women’s organisations for limited resources will intensify, and 62% fear a decrease in the influence of such organisations.

To overcome these challenges, 46% of respondents consider it important to diversify funding sources. Another 27% pointed to the need to create coalitions between organisations to strengthen advocacy activities. Additionally, 94% of those surveyed identified additional funding as the most pressing need, and 88% emphasised the importance of establishing connections with new donors.

Organisations feel a significant dependence on US financial support, with 35% of organisations having a high level of dependence. This dependence creates risks for their activities due to the cessation of funding. At the same time, 67% of organisations are considering attracting additional international donors, and 31% seek community funding.

According to the survey, 44% of organisations expect to be unable to continue their activities after the next three months, which confirms a high level of financial instability. Most respondents recognize the need to find alternative funding sources to ensure the sustainability of their organizations.

The survey was conducted from February 14 to 21, 2025, among 99 organisations with the support of the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group and the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy. Its purpose is to assess the impact of financial constraints on the activities of organizations working in the field of gender equality and to use the data obtained for advocacy and resource mobilization.

Previously, 75% of civil society organisations in Ukraine surveyed reported that they are actively seeking alternative financial resources following the cessation of assistance from the United States Agency for International Development.