In Afghanistan, a severe humanitarian crisis is unfolding. An estimated 22 million people are in need of assistance. 13.3 million Afghans are confronted with IPC phase 3 or worse. A third of the population is in need of assistance. Women and girls are disproportionally vulnerable, with limited access to most socio-economic activities, education and healthcare
Burkina Faso is a country with a population of 24.7 million people of which 4.4 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 2.7 million people are displaced by conflict and face extreme food insecurity. The population is characterized by high malnutrition rates in several provinces and among children, of whom 486.000 are severely undernourished.
In Cameroon, 3 million people are severely food insecure. (1) The conflict which is spread out across large parts of the North-West, South-West and Lake Chad Basin, has led to large groups of displaced persons, further restricting the access to farming and normal socio-economic conditions. Health services are unavailable in conflict-affected regions because of a lack of resources and staff. A large influx of refugees from the Central African Republic are in need of humanitarian aid, in particular food, water and health services.
The Central African Republic is one of the most difficult countries for aid workers and humanitarian organisations. Ongoing conflict, drastic displacements and widespread food insecurity are the main drivers of a grave crisis. An estimated 2.3 million civilians are in urgent need of assistance with an IPC phase of 3+. High food prices further deteriorated the purchasing power of local civilians. The country’s foundations need to be rebuild, including the social safety nets and food industries.
Chad is a country with a population of 21.4 million people. The country faces a multi-layered crisis, caused by conflict spillovers from Sudan, climate shocks (floods and droughts) and economic problems such as increased food prices and rising poverty rates. Approximately 4 million people are confronted with an IPC phase of 3+ and in need of assistance. Many families are unable to provide for the needs of children under 5. Chad hosts over 1.4 million refugees from Sudan, CAR, and Nigeria. Violence has led to hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons.
In Columbia, conflict, poverty and massive displacement resulted in a dire humanitarian situation. An estimated 6.9 million people are in need of aid. The state presence is weak in some parts of the country, exposing large groups of civilians to violence and unsafe living circumstances. Many are confined to their homes, which happened in several remote regions in the country. 7 million people are internally displaced and in need of food, water, shelter and health services.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, widespread conflict has led to massive displacements. An estimated 6.7 million civilians have left their homes and livelihoods. High food prices, unemployment and economic turmoil resulted in complicated socio-economic conditions for a majority of the population. 27.9 million people are in a state of acute food insecurity, with an IPC rating of 3+. 4.18 million children are stunted and in need of assistance. Disease outbreaks such as cholera and measles overwhelmed the available health services Aid workers have been targeted by armed gangs, with critical loss of supplies of food and medicine.
Eritrea has a population of almost 4 million people of whom 17% sought asylum in neighboring countries in 2024. Extreme economic conditions, climate shocks and a repressive regime are the main drivers of the humanitarian situation. 1.1 million people are in need of food assistance. The Eritrean government restricts access to most aid organisations, resulting in a persistent crisis.
In Gaza, the situation is catastrophic. The country’s entire population (2.2 million people) faces high levels of food insecurity and is dependent on outside aid for basic nutritional needs. Vulnerable groups such as women, children and elderly are in need of humanitarian assistance for food, water, shelter and healthcare. A war has devastated the housing in Gaza, people live in tents and camps during winter and in cold weather. Almost one third of the population faced extreme deprivation of food in late 2025, with a critical risk of famine.
In Haiti a multi-layered crisis has resulted in 5.7 million people (half the population) in IPC phase 3+ and acute food insecurity,. 1.9 million civilians are in emergency phase 4 with extremely high malnutrition rates and food shortages. Children in particular are a vulnerable group because of undernourishment and a lack of health services. Violence led to drastic displacements, with more than 1 million people internally displaced and in need of food, water, shelter and healthcare The country has faced years of inflation, economic recession and failing infrastructure. Insecurity is an important obstacle for humanitarian organisations in Haiti.
In Mali, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification or IPC estimates that 5.1 million people face acute food insecurity. Ongoing conflict and climate related crises led to severe displacements and deteriorating conditions for large groups of the population. Nearly 1.5 million small children and pregnant women faced malnutrition during 2025. Humanitarian aid is severely underfunded in the country.
Climate shocks such as irregular rainfall and prolonged droughts have led to agricultural devastation in Mozambique. This resulted in the increase of food prices, subsistence scarcities and lower income generation for many households. An estimated 1.6 million civilians are in a humanitarian crisis or emergency (IPC phase 3 or 4), with many struggling to gather the needed resources to provide for basic needs.
In Myanmar, between 15.2 and 16.7 million people are in need of food assistance. The situation in the country has become disastrous because of widespread conflict, economic collapse and several climate crises. Over 3 million people are displaced and on the run for violence, having abandoned their livelihoods and often confronted with acute food insecurity. High inflation resulted in the increase of food prices while the ongoing conflict led to considerable food production losses. The effects of floods and a recent earthquake resulted in further deterioration in the levels of food production and the destruction of housing for almost 1 million people. The country is hit by multiple crises at the same time, creating one of the most dramatic humanitarian situations in the world.
Niger is confronted with high child malnutrition rates and an estimated 1.9 million children in need of humanitarian assistance. 2.6 million civilians face crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. Ongoing conflict in the North and South has led to drastic displacements, putting extra pressure on food supplies in host communities. Border closures led to increased food prices and high inflation, which decreased the access to markets and purchasing power of many households.
In Nigeria, an estimated 6.4 million small children are suffering from acute malnutrition. 33 million civilians are in need of humanitarian assistance. High rates of disease, poor health systems and insecurity related to armed conflict are key drivers of the dire conditions. The ongoing conflict in the Northern parts of the country has led to a refugee crisis. Millions are displaced and live in camps, short of food and water. Basic food has become unaffordable because of high inflation. Protection measures, especially for women and girls, remain critical because of violence and displacements.
The humanitarian situation in Pakistan remains precarious. The country is prone to climate disasters, with severe floods in 2002 and 2025, which led to the displacement of nearly 3 million people and affected 7 million civilians in total. High inflation has led to increased food prices and political instability to an atmosphere of uncertainty. Estimations indicate that 2.8 million people are facing food insecurity and are in need of assistance. The country hosts approximately 3 million Afghan refugees who are in need of food, water, shelter and healthcare.
In Somalia, 1.9 million children are acutely undernourished. 4.4 million civilians are facing acute food insecurity (IPC phase 3+) including 900.000 in Emergency (phase 4). Droughts and floods resulted in poor harvests, putting a strain on food production. Armed conflict and climate events have led to the internal displacement of 4 million people and nearly 700.000 asylum seekers in neighboring countries Kenya and Ethiopia. The risk of famine remains present after ongoing interventions of humanitarian organisations over the previous years.
In South-Sudan, armed conflict and insecurity prevent the much needed access of humanitarian aid. 10 million people are in urgent need of assistance, mainly food and water. 2 million children under 5 are expected to suffer from severe malnutrition. The conflict in neighboring Sudan has led to an influx of refugees in urgent need of help, with many in danger of famine. The crisis in South Sudan is multi-layered and primarily caused by ongoing violence, climate events (floods and droughts), economic strains such as high inflation, and disease outbreaks.
Sudan is the country with the most urgent need for humanitarian relief. An estimated 33.7 million people are confronted with severe food insecurity (IPC phase 3+), with famine (IPC phase 5) in certain regions in occupied territory. An armed conflict and unsafe living circumstances have led to massive displacements and a refugee crisis in neighboring countries, of which Chad and South-Sudan struggle to cope with the many new incomers. There is an urgent need for aid in the refugee camps in South Sudan and Chad.
In the Syrian Arab Republic, 90% of the population lives below the poverty line. 70% of the entire population is in need of humanitarian assistance with an estimated 16.5 million people who are chronically food insecure. Armed conflicts, economic collapse and several climate related events have led to a grave displacement crisis. Nearly 7.5 million people are internally displaced and 5 million are refugees in neighboring countries.
Ukraine is the victim of a brutal war which resulted in a serious humanitarian situation. 3.5 million civilians are displaced and in urgent need of shelter, food assistance and mental health services. 6 million took refuge in neighboring European countries. An estimated 12.7 million Ukrainians are food insecure and in need of structural aid. There is a need for energy solutions and WASH services (Water, Hygiene and Sanitation).
In Venezuela, 40% of the population (19.2 million people) is severely food insecure. Poverty rates amount to 79%. Hyperinflation resulted in the multiplication of food prices by a factor 10 in 2025. Daily sustenance is difficult because of low wages and food shortages. An estimated 5.4 million Venezuelans have fled the country and sought refuge abroad. The collapse of health services increased the number of disease outbreaks and health problems among children. The lack of access to clean water, sanitation and electricity further deteriorates the health issues in the country.
In 2025, Vietnam was hit by a series of heavy storms, including 7 typhoons, which caused extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods. An estimated 814.000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Many homes were destroyed and livelihoods lost. The most vulnerable groups – the poor, elderly and children – were hit hardest and affected by several disease outbreaks. Vietnam often experiences localized IPC Phase 2 (stressed) or Phase 3 in disaster-affected areas following major events, rather than nationwide Famine (Phase 5).
note: this overview is not a complete report of all the humanitarian crises and emergencies in the world. Not all data was available for 2025.
sources: OCHA, World Bank, IPC
¨¨ The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a 5-phase classification to evaluate the severity of food insecurity and malnutrition among a population. The IPC phases range from 1 (minimal) to 5 (famine).