World Vision’s Statement on the Global Humanitarian Overview 2025

The 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) puts in sharp relief the human suffering arising from increasingly complex and deadly crises across the globe. More than 305 million people stand in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, and over 280 million people are currently enduring the agony of acute hunger. 

The GHO launch events in Geneva, Kuwait City, and Nairobi highlighted the role of conflict and climate change in exacerbating humanitarian needs and underscored the crisis of political will hindering a more effective response. In his Geneva remarks, Tom Fletcher, UN OCHA Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, offered the audience a choice: “We can respond to these numbers with generosity, with compassion, with genuine solidarity for those in the most dire need on the planet – or we can carry on.” The escalation of violence, climate volatility, and humanitarian need offer an opportunity to change course and focus on sustained investment, long-term solutions, resolving drivers, and upholding humanitarian principles and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). 

World Vision remains committed to stand by and support communities affected by global emergencies so that every child has the opportunity to thrive. Through our Disaster Management programming, ENOUGH campaign, and Global Hunger Response, World Vision:

• Reached over 35 million people in 2024 with critical humanitarian assistance 
• Pledged to invest $3.4 billion to address the growing hunger crisis across 28 countries
• Continues to improve the efficiency and quality of our responses through digital innovation and targeted efforts to address access constraints 
• Builds resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction and long-term development programs in fragile contexts 
• Advocates for policy change to resolve the drivers of hunger, poverty, climate change, and violence

World Vision’s Global Lead for Disaster Management Isabel Gomes delivered a joint statement on behalf of 109 NGOs at the Geneva GHO launch, highlighting the catastrophic human costs of the current crises. In the face of unprecedented displacement, hunger, sexual violence, and IHL violations, the statement calls for timely, quality funding—especially for local actors—to support effective, principled humanitarian action and urges the international community to leverage its influence to ensure obligations under IHL are upheld.

World Vision joins humanitarians worldwide in full support of the GHO and calls for collective action to: 

• Fully fund the GHO, which requires $47.4 billion—less than 2% of global military expenditure in 2024—to reach 189.5 million people with life-saving assistance
• End IHL violations and the current culture of impunity, ensuring accountability for violence against civilians and aid workers, starvation, and destruction of vital infrastructure 
• Uphold the humanitarian principles and commit to people-centered humanitarian action that promotes dignity, agency, and resilience
• Develop innovative solutions to facilitate access for all humanitarian actors, increase aid efficiency, and reach more people in need with available resources
• Strengthen collaboration across humanitarian, development, peace, and climate actors to foster resilience in fragile contexts
• Invest in programming that addresses the root causes of humanitarian crises and prevents future suffering 
• Strengthen accountability to affected people, including protection of civilians, women, and children, meaningful participation in decision-making, and equitable partnerships with local actors

World Vision stands committed to these efforts and urges the international community to work together to create a future where everyone can enjoy peace, safety, and fullness of life.