Credit: United Nations
 
On August 19, the UN commemorated World Humanitarian Day — a time to honor those who step into crises to help others, and to stand with the millions of people whose lives hang in the balance. This year the message is clear: the humanitarian system is stretched to its limits; underfunded, overwhelmed and under attack.
 
“Where bombs fall and disasters strike, humanitarian workers are the ones holding the line keeping people alive, often at great personal risk. But more and more those who help are becoming targets themselves. In 2024 alone over 380 humanitarian workers were killed. Some in the line of duty, others in their homes. Hundreds more have been injured, kidnapped or detained, and there is reason to fear 2025 could be worse,” warns the UN.

By Nathalie Meynet
GENEVA, Aug 19 2025 (IPS)

On this World Humanitarian Day, the members of CCISUA Staff Federation honour colleagues who dedicate their lives to protecting people in crisis, and we remember with sorrow the many who have fallen in the line of duty.

This year’s theme, “Act For Humanity” is a call to leaders and to the public to confront the normalization of attacks on civilians, including humanitarians, and the impunity that undermines International Humanitarian Law. It is a call to build public support that pressures parties to conflict and world leaders to act to protect civilians and humanitarian workers.

We pay special tribute to our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza, where more than 300 UN staff have been killed since October 2023, the highest toll in UN history. They continue to serve under unimaginable conditions, often while enduring the same loss, hunger, and insecurity as the communities they assist.

At the same time, the humanitarian space itself is under grave threat. Severe funding cuts are forcing agencies to scale back life-saving programmes and reduce their workforce. Structural reforms and discussions of mergers raise additional fears that humanitarian action may lose its independence, becoming subordinated to political or migration-management agendas. For staff on the ground, this translates into uncertainty, heavier risks, and the erosion of trust.

As the federation representing thousands of UN staff worldwide, including many humanitarians, CCISUA calls for stronger protection of humanitarian workers, accountability for attacks, adequate funding for principled action, and genuine consultation on reforms that affect the future of humanitarian response.

The future of humanitarian action is at stake. To protect it, we must Act For Humanity!

Nathalie Meynet is President CCISUA.

https://www.ccisua.org/about-us/

IPS UN Bureau

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By Nathalie Meynet
GENEVA, Aug 1 2025 (IPS)

The Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System (CCISUA)* staff federation has conducted a quick survey of staff in its member unions of their thoughts on the UN80 initiative.

The respondents expressed a lack of confidence in the way UN80 is being led and implemented, their disappointment in the lack of consultation and strong concerns about the outcome, and potential damage for the organization’s mandate and staff.
https://www.ccisua.org/about-us/

A summary is below:

Headline findings
72% do not feel that the proposed post cuts and relocations are based on a sound rationale
62% do not think the reforms will improve effectiveness and relevance
73% do not believe the decision to not reduce the number of USG posts is justified
60% do not believe it will make the UN more relevant to the needs of beneficiaries
51% do not have confidence in Guy Ryder’s leadership of UN80
18% have confidence in Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s leadership and 48% do not
55% are willing to support collective staff actions

Further findings
78% do not feel consulted or included in discussions on UN80
59% do not believe the overall impact will be positive
60% do not believe senior management understands staff concerns and needs
57% do not believe that senior management are the right people to lead the reforms
63% do not believe it will rebuild faith in the multilateral system
65% believe management has not communicated clearly on UN 80
56% do not have confidence in the overall leadership of their entity

Of those supporting collective staff actions, at least 40% supported one or more of the following: a petition, participating in symbolic workplace actions, joining peaceful protests, participating in staff assemblies, supporting walkouts or work stoppages

Analysis of the comments
The comments convey deep dissatisfaction with process, fairness, and leadership trust, alongside calls for genuine, inclusive reform that addresses inefficiencies without undermining staff morale or organizational credibility. The comments can be broadly categorized as follows:

Lack of transparency and communication
Many respondents feel UN80 reforms are poorly explained or not at all, with insufficient updates or details from senior management.

Staff perceive decision-making as opaque, with major announcements made without meaningful consultation.

Sample quote: “We have nearly no information about UN80; leaders act based on favoritism and retaliation.”

Disproportionate impact on lower-level staff
Cuts are seen as targeting GS and junior P-level positions, while USG/ASG posts remain untouched, leading to top-heaviness.

There is widespread frustration over perceived inequities: senior management’s high costs are maintained while frontline staff bear the brunt.

Sample quote: “Cuts are only foreseen at working level; USG and higher management are untouched.”

Low confidence in leadership
Many express distrust in the Secretary-General, USG Ryder, and other senior leaders, citing a lack of accountability and unwillingness to lead by example.

Some staff report that leadership appears disconnected from ground realities.

Sample quote: “Our senior management leadership have no idea what is going on at the ground level.”

Morale and anxiety
Staff morale is described as extremely low, with widespread anxiety about forced relocations, arbitrary cuts, and potential retaliation for speaking out.

Some note fear of participating in protests or even surveys.

Sample quote: “Morale is at an all-time low. Staff are anxious about relocations and post cuts.”

Perceived political motives and favoritism
Multiple comments allege favoritism, political appointments, and protection of allies in senior ranks.

There is skepticism about whether cuts are based on organizational need versus political convenience.

Sample quote: “It is illogical to have the same senior management that caused the crisis lead the reforms.”

Support for reform – but not this way
Many agree reforms are needed to address inefficiency, duplication, and outdated structures.

However, they criticize the approach as rushed, top-heavy, and lacking strategic vision.

Sample quote: “Reforms are necessary, but this rushed process without consultation will harm the UN.”

Broader concerns about UN credibility
Several comments link the crisis to a decline in multilateralism, lack of member state support, and the UN’s shifting priorities.

There is worry that the reforms risk making the UN less relevant and effective at serving beneficiaries.

Sample quote: “UN80 sends the wrong message to member states: cutting staff by 20% without impact will only lead to more reductions.”

About the survey
The survey was conducted by the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations.

It took place between 21 and 27 July 2025. A total of 3,850 staff took part. The results are statistically significant at a 95 percent confidence interval and thus representative of the views of staff in the respective entities.

The results presented above relate specifically to responses received from staff of the UN Secretariat as they are directly affected by UN 80. Responses from non-Secretariat entities will be shared with their respective governance mechanisms and in many cases show equal concern at the situation.

The member unions of CCISUA are: ECA, ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA, UNOG, UNON, ICC, ICJ, ILO, ITU, IRMCT, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNU, WFP.

The CCISUA is an international federation comprised of UN common system staff unions and associations committed to an atmosphere of constructive cooperation in order to provide equitable and effective representation of staff at all levels. CCISUA primarily represents member interests in inter-agency bodies that make decisions and recommendations on conditions of service.

Nathalie Meynet is President, CCISUA.

IPS UN Bureau

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The Secretariat Building at United Nations Headquarters, in New York. Credit: UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

By Nathalie Meynet
GENEVA, Jun 24 2025 (IPS)

“We are writing to you regarding the cuts being undertaken under the UN80 Initiative and, more broadly, across the UN system. While we are mindful of the current funding challenges, we believe that the rushed and chaotic manner in which these changes are being implemented is causing deeper harm to both the effectiveness and reputation of the United Nations.

The “slash and burn” approach adopted under the UN80 plan, led by Mr. Guy Ryder, adviser to the Secretary-General, risks not only damaging our mission and harming our beneficiaries; it is also proving costly at a time when the Organization can least afford it.

Furthermore, many of the changes are likely to be reversed in the future, as the next Secretary-General works to re-establish coherence and relevance within the system.

In terms of the mission of the United Nations, the consequences of the lack of funding are already stark. An evaluation of the impact suggests that 23 million fewer people affected by humanitarian crises will receive assistance. There could be 4.2 million additional AIDS-related deaths. It means millions of children at risk of being pushed out of school— with an estimated 250,000 in Sudan alone.

It also means that support for the energy transition, development financing, and counterterrorism efforts will be weakened. While developing countries will be the first and hardest hit, many of these impacts will be global. As noted by outgoing UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner in the Financial Times, we are witnessing a “structural destruction of capacity.”

The funding cuts are already causing serious harm, with experienced frontline workers— especially national staff in developing countries—being dismissed with little notice, as well as international colleagues who have served in some of the most complex and high-risk environments.

The management of the UN80 process under Mr. Ryder, risks deepening the crisis and raises serious issues about coherence and vision. It begins with a poor understanding of mandates. For example, leaked proposals have suggested merging the United Nations with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, an idea that is not only unfeasible but fundamentally misunderstands the roles of these institutions.

Even for those organizations more integrated within the UN system, no thought has been given to how these ideas could realistically be implemented, or of the appropriate role of Member States. For instance, the suggestion to merge the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration would weaken rights protections under the 1951 Refugee Convention.

These proposals also reflect the arbitrary way task force members were appointed, meaning that some entities and development mandates are voiceless in the process. We see a risk that some senior managers will seize the opportunity to expand their own entities at the expense of others.

In a recent staff townhall, Mr. Ryder admitted that the reform process is being conducted “back to front”, as strategic decisions will only be made after there had been a 20% ‘across the board cut’ of Secretariat posts within the United Nations, adding to the thousands of positions across the wider UN system.

This means that while discussions under UN80 are ongoing, managers are being forced to make difficult and unnecessary choices without a clear rationale. This rushed approach also carries significant financial costs.

We estimate that each staff termination or relocation costs $100,000 once indemnities, relocation, and training are factored in. Across the system, this will amount to a minimum of $930 million in costs to Member States, with no suggestion of how this will be paid for. As seen in previous rushed downsizing efforts, new staff will quickly have to be (re)hired, incurring further expenses.

We have urged Mr. Ryder, once a respected champion of social dialogue, to begin by identifying how the strengths of the UN system can be aligned with the needs of our beneficiaries to maximize impact at both the global and country levels, and make the UN fit for the future.

Reform should be guided by these principles and informed by inclusive consultation, recognizing that colleagues on the ground often have a more accurate understanding of how the UN operates, rather than senior management in New York.

Unfortunately, our appeals have gone unacknowledged. We therefore hope that you, the Member States, will scrutinize the UN80 process thoroughly; to consider the damage it may inflict on the effectiveness of the United Nations, and to support a more strategic and sustainable approach to restructuring and financing the UN system.”

IPS UN Bureau

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