Unprecedented cuts in international aid are leaving organizations serving people with disabilities without resources, according to a report released Monday by Handicap International, a Switzerland-based organization.
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A survey conducted in more than 35 countries found that 14% of organizations working for people with disabilities could close if the current trend continues, which the organization described as the most brutal aid contraction in modern history.
The report specified that 2025 saw the largest annual decline in official development assistance, with a global drop of 23%, after the five largest donors—the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and France—reduced their cooperation budgets during that same period.
79% of organizations working directly with people with disabilities reported “severe” or “very severe” funding cuts in the last 18 months, while 72% were forced to cancel or suspend at least one program or activity.
Africa Disability Alliance L’ADF et de Congo Handicap ce sont engagés à unifier et à amplifier la voix des personnes handicapées, de leurs familles et des organisations en Afrique aux niveaux national, régional et international, et à renforcer la capacité des organisations de… pic.twitter.com/NZlTE75xod
— CONGO HANDICAP Sommet MICA sur le Handicap en RDC (@CongoHandicap) August 16, 2026
The text reads, The Africa Disability Alliance (ADF) and Congo Handicap are committed to unifying and amplifying the voices of people with disabilities, their families, and organizations in Africa at the national, regional, and international levels, and to strengthening the capacity of disability organizations in Africa to promote the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities and their families.”
The survey revealed that the most affected groups are children, women, girls, and older people with disabilities. 85% of the organizations identified children as one of the most affected sectors.
The disruption of rehabilitation, nutrition, and education services translates into school dropout, malnutrition, and irreversible developmental delays. In the case of women and girls with disabilities, exposure to gender-based violence increases significantly.
Although the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is cited as the main trigger of this crisis, Handicap International also warned about the possibility that Switzerland might opt to “withdraw” its funding from international cooperation.
Given this scenario, the organization launched a petition for Switzerland to explicitly include people with disabilities in its humanitarian aid.
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