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REPORT (2025/2085(INI))

On humanitarian aid in a time of polycrisis – reaffirming our principles for a more effective and ambitious response to humanitarian crises

A-10-2025-0257

Committee on Development · Rapporteur: Leire Pajín

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This resolution reaffirms the EU's commitment to humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law, and calls for more effective and ambitious humanitarian action in a time of multiple crises. It demands respect for humanitarian access, protection of civilians and aid workers, and accountability for violations, while addressing funding gaps, forgotten crises, and the needs of vulnerable groups. It calls for an integrated approach to fragility, implementation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, localisation of aid, and anticipatory action. It urges a gender-sensitive approach, including support for women-led organisations, sexual and reproductive health services, and implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Committee position. The Committee on Development proposes a resolution reaffirming humanitarian principles, calling for increased and principled funding, and urging a gender-sensitive and locally-led approach.

Key points

  1. Calls on all states and parties to conflict to respect international humanitarian law and prioritise protection of civilians, upholding the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
  2. Condemns attacks on civilians, infrastructure, and humanitarian workers; calls for accountability and possible sanctions against those obstructing humanitarian access.
  3. Urges increased humanitarian aid for Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, and demands unimpeded access and protection of aid workers.
  4. Calls for an EU humanitarian diplomacy strategy and for measures to prevent criminalisation of humanitarian assistance.
  5. Calls for increased, predictable humanitarian funding in the next MFF, maintaining separate budget lines, and ring-fencing flexibility for humanitarian aid.
  6. Reiterates commitment to allocate 15% of initial annual humanitarian budget to forgotten crises and calls for better coordination.
  7. Calls for dedicated funding for children and persons with disabilities in humanitarian settings.
  8. Urges member states to meet ODA targets and allocate 10% of ODA to humanitarian action; calls for innovative financing and cooperation with emerging donors.
  9. Calls for an integrated strategy on fragility, with context-specific funding and engagement of local actors.
  10. Calls for implementation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, localisation of aid (at least 25% to local actors by 2027), and anticipatory action.
  11. Calls for gender-sensitive humanitarian aid, including funding for women-led organisations, sexual and reproductive health services, and implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
  12. Calls for binding gender-sensitivity standards and zero-tolerance policies for abuse in EU-funded humanitarian operations.

Who is affected

  • Humanitarian workers and organisations: calls for their protection and accountability for attacks.
  • Women and girls: calls for gender-sensitive aid, funding for women-led organisations, and sexual and reproductive health services.
  • Children: calls for dedicated funding and programming to address their specific needs.
  • Persons with disabilities: calls for prioritisation in EU-funded humanitarian aid.
  • Local actors: calls for at least 25% of humanitarian funding to be channelled to them by 2027.

Figures and deadlines

  • 305 million people will require urgent humanitarian assistance in 2025.
  • Over 319 million people face acute food insecurity worldwide.
  • Over 122 million people are forcibly displaced globally.
  • Only 43% of the USD 50 billion UN appeal for humanitarian aid was met in 2024.
  • Only 13% of funding required for the 2025 UN appeal was reached by July 2025.
  • More than 14 million people face risk of death by 2030 due to USAID cuts.
  • Over 473 million children live in areas affected by conflict.
  • At least 25% of humanitarian funding to local actors by 2027.

Legal basis: Articles 208 and 214 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union