87 million lives campaign
Why the world cannot wait
Around the world, millions of people are living through conflicts, disasters and displacement that threaten their survival. However, brutal funding cuts forced the UN and its partners to prioritize people most at risk of dying in 2026.
On 8 December 2025, we announced a hyper-prioritized plan * to save 87 million lives, and we gave Governments 87 days to help us fund it. Delivering on this plan requires US$23 billion for life-saving assistance.
“Over the coming 87 days - one for each million lives - we will take this plan to the member states. We will challenge them to back this simple appeal. I will then be able to share with you the numbers committed, and answer a simple question: did your government show up? The answer will define who lives – and who falls through the cracks. We will then launch a campaign - to businesses, civil society, the humanitarian movement, the global public - to close any gap that is left.” - Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
There’s no time to lose.
Why 87 million lives
A rigorous, data-driven analysis helped identify the number of people who face the most severe and life-threatening needs and require immediate assistance.
Why 87 days
This 87-day effort represents one day for every one million lives at risk.
Throughout this period, progress in raising funds is tracked and reported through the OCHA- managed Financial Tracking Service.
Early funding is critical. It allows humanitarian partners to move faster, plan better and reach people before conditions deteriorate further.
Why $23 billion
$23 billion – an average of about $264 per person, or the equivalent of roughly 1 per cent of what the world spends on defense – is what is needed to provide life-saving assistance to those most in need in 2026. This assistance includes emergency food and nutrition, essential health services, clean water and sanitation, protection services and shelter.
How is this plan different
The hyper-prioritized plan is guided by the vision of the Humanitarian Reset for a faster, stronger and more efficient humanitarian system.
On the ground, humanitarian actors will focus resources where needed most, reducing duplication, bureaucracy and inefficiencies.
Funding will increasingly support locally led humanitarian action and empower local organizations and national actors who are closer to affected communities.
A greater share of funding will be channeled through pooled funds, enabling rapid disbursement, country-based leadership and coordinated action among UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and local organizations.
What happens next
By early March 2026, at the close of the 87-day period, we will take stock of the progress made and share which partners have joined this collective effort and what we have been able to achieve together.
We will also launch a campaign to rally even more support – because what’s at stake is bigger than us.
2026 must be the year that humanity chooses global solidarity over indifference.
You can support life-saving humanitarian action here.
For more information on the Global Humanitarian Overview 2026 visit here
Fron strained to sustain
Voices for humanitarian solidarity
Participate in the campaign
You can take part in the campaign with our social media content available on our trello.