US Withdrawal from International Organizations Will Further Harm Women and Girls

Washington, DC — The new Presidential Memoranda withdrawing the United States from 66 international organizations will cause direct harm to women and girls around the world and undermine efforts to prevent conflict and promote global stability, the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) warns.  

The organizations listed include institutions that uphold human rights, gender equality, and child protection, such as UN Women, UNFPA, and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.  

“Women and girls living in crisis, conflict, or displacement already face higher risks of violence, exploitation, and abuse,” said Sarah Costa, Executive Director of WRC. “These institutions play a vital role for women and girls living in conflict or crisis, protecting them from violence, providing life-saving healthcare and relief, and offering life-changing education and training to ensure women and girls can live with freedom and dignity.”  

“Undermining or abandoning these organizations will unravel decades of progress on human rights and protections for women and children, which have improved the lives of millions of people in the US and around the world.”  

The latest Presidential Memoranda follows a series of rapid and drastic cuts to humanitarian funding by the US government, beginning in January 2025. An upcoming report by WRC will provide the most comprehensive review to date documenting how existing US foreign aid cuts have impacted women and girls. The report, which looks at gender-specific data in the one year since the US foreign aid cuts, documents how women and girls are less safe from violence, have lost access to lifesaving health care, and have lost access to education.