UNHCR Announces Significant Staff Reductions Amid Funding Crisis
The UN refugee agency reveals plans to cut 3,500 jobs, nearly a third of its workforce, due to a substantial funding shortfall.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that it will eliminate approximately 3,500 staff positions, representing nearly one-third of its workforce, in response to a critical funding shortfall.
This decision comes amid a broader review of the agency's operations, expenditures, staffing, and organizational structure in light of decreased humanitarian funding globally.
The UNHCR has been significantly affected by budget cuts, particularly from the United States, which previously accounted for more than 40 percent of the agency's funding, contributing around $2 billion annually.
Following a stringent spending review initiated by former President Donald Trump, U.S. foreign aid, including contributions to UNHCR, has experienced substantial reductions.
Other nations have also diminished their financial support for humanitarian efforts, further straining the agency's resources.
UNHCR’s chief, Filippo Grandi, acknowledged the financial challenges faced by the organization, indicating that the agency has been compelled to focus on initiatives that promise the greatest impact for refugees.
As part of the restructuring, the agency plans to streamline operations at its Geneva headquarters and regional offices, alongside closing or downsizing several offices across various countries.
In addition to staff reductions, UNHCR has reported that hundreds of temporary workers have been let go due to insufficient funds.
The agency expects a total decrease in staffing costs of around 30 percent, which will inevitably impact its service delivery worldwide.
Programs providing financial aid to vulnerable families, health services, education, and access to water and sanitation have already been affected by these cuts.
In 2025, the agency projects that its available funding will return to levels seen about a decade ago, despite the number of forcibly displaced individuals worldwide nearly doubling over the same period to exceed 122 million.
Grandi emphasized that even in the face of these painful cuts and the departure of many dedicated employees, UNHCR remains committed to its mission to support refugees, stressing the importance of responding to emergencies and protecting refugee rights.
The organization noted that Syria, which has been a focal point of the refugee crisis since the escalation of its civil war in 2011, saw a shift in its displacement dynamics following the ousting of President Bashar Assad in December 2024. Meanwhile, Sudan has emerged as the largest source of forced displacement globally, with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced people, overtaking Syria's 13.5 million.
Afghanistan and Ukraine follow, with 10.3 million and 8.8 million displaced persons, respectively.
UNHCR reports that by the end of 2024, one in 67 individuals worldwide were forcibly displaced.
This decision comes amid a broader review of the agency's operations, expenditures, staffing, and organizational structure in light of decreased humanitarian funding globally.
The UNHCR has been significantly affected by budget cuts, particularly from the United States, which previously accounted for more than 40 percent of the agency's funding, contributing around $2 billion annually.
Following a stringent spending review initiated by former President Donald Trump, U.S. foreign aid, including contributions to UNHCR, has experienced substantial reductions.
Other nations have also diminished their financial support for humanitarian efforts, further straining the agency's resources.
UNHCR’s chief, Filippo Grandi, acknowledged the financial challenges faced by the organization, indicating that the agency has been compelled to focus on initiatives that promise the greatest impact for refugees.
As part of the restructuring, the agency plans to streamline operations at its Geneva headquarters and regional offices, alongside closing or downsizing several offices across various countries.
In addition to staff reductions, UNHCR has reported that hundreds of temporary workers have been let go due to insufficient funds.
The agency expects a total decrease in staffing costs of around 30 percent, which will inevitably impact its service delivery worldwide.
Programs providing financial aid to vulnerable families, health services, education, and access to water and sanitation have already been affected by these cuts.
In 2025, the agency projects that its available funding will return to levels seen about a decade ago, despite the number of forcibly displaced individuals worldwide nearly doubling over the same period to exceed 122 million.
Grandi emphasized that even in the face of these painful cuts and the departure of many dedicated employees, UNHCR remains committed to its mission to support refugees, stressing the importance of responding to emergencies and protecting refugee rights.
The organization noted that Syria, which has been a focal point of the refugee crisis since the escalation of its civil war in 2011, saw a shift in its displacement dynamics following the ousting of President Bashar Assad in December 2024. Meanwhile, Sudan has emerged as the largest source of forced displacement globally, with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced people, overtaking Syria's 13.5 million.
Afghanistan and Ukraine follow, with 10.3 million and 8.8 million displaced persons, respectively.
UNHCR reports that by the end of 2024, one in 67 individuals worldwide were forcibly displaced.
