New World Vision report finds aid cuts deepen hunger while self-reliance helps protect children

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of World Refugee Day, a new report from Christian humanitarian organization World Vision finds that declining humanitarian aid is driving deeper hunger and instability for refugee and displaced families. The findings also show that when families have pathways to self-reliance, they are better able to protect their children, restore dignity, and build more stable futures.

Conducted in partnership with the World Food Program, the report, In the Shadow of Hunger, draws on nearly 3,500 household surveys across eight countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The research examines how food insecurity, displacement, and household stability intersect, showing both the toll of shrinking aid and the protective role self-reliance can play for children and families.

Humanitarian funding fell 40% in 2025, leaving more than 72% of global needs unmet among forcibly displaced families and host communities. Across the eight countries surveyed, more than half of households reported severe food insecurity. In fact, 40% of households said they had eaten one or no meals the day before the survey, and in 58% of households at least one family member had gone to sleep hungry in the past four weeks.

"The impact of humanitarian aid cuts go far beyond hunger – we're seeing families forced into impossible choices that put children's health, safety, education and well-being at risk," said Margaret Schuler, World Vision's senior vice president of international programs. "No parent should have to make those choices, yet for many, that is the reality. These cuts deepen hardship and limit how families can build stable futures."

Across the full sample, the study found concerning rates of child labor (22%), irregular school attendance (21%), child marriage (8%), and exposure to violence, abuse, and neglect (8%), with refugee families often facing greater risk. Cuts in food assistance, refugee status, and food insecurity were all strongly associated with worse child outcomes. Households experiencing cuts in assistance were 64% more likely to withdraw children from school so they could work or beg and twice as likely to experience family separation.

However, across almost all areas, self-reliance emerged as a powerful protective factor. When households are better able to meet their basic needs, families move beyond survival and begin to reclaim dignity. Higher household self-reliance was associated with a 56% reduction in children resorting to begging, a 38% reduction in children leaving school to work or beg, and a 33% reduction in child marriage.

"We know that when we pair immediate support with long-term investments, children are safer, families are stronger, and people can care for their families, earn a living, and ultimately realize their God-given potential," Schuler added.

The report underscores that immediate food assistance and longer-term pathways to self-reliance must go hand in hand. While emergency support remains essential for families facing acute hunger, it should be paired with investments that help displaced households build income, access services, and better withstand future shocks and protracted crises.

World Vision calls on leaders and donors to protect lifesaving humanitarian assistance for families displaced by conflict and disaster, while also investing in long-term solutions that help families build self-reliance and secure a better future for their children. The report highlights that both are essential: immediate support to help families survive today, and sustained investment to help them recover, regain dignity, and thrive.

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God's unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X @WorldVisionUSA.

SOURCE World Vision U.S.