Mozambique: Navigating funding cuts and commodity security

In Mozambique, US funding cuts to UNFPA and the Global Fund have drastically reduced available support for young people and key populations. Resourcing for SRH information and services during humanitarian crises has been reduced, as well as interrupted national distribution of commodities, with those in remote areas most affected.

Background

The Mozambican Association for Family Development (AMODEFA) is a strategic partner of the Ministry of Health and one of the country’s largest SRH service providers. Established in 1989, AMODEFA operates in 10 of Mozambique’s 11 Provinces, providing information and services through 69 service delivery points including clinics, mobile outreach, community-based distribution, and technical assistance to public health facilities. In 2024, AMODEFA’s client profile demonstrated a strong focus on reaching marginalised groups: 67% of clients were aged 10–24 years; 89% were classified as poor or vulnerable[1]; and 21% lived in humanitarian contexts, especially in the north of Mozambique where insecurity and recurrent natural disasters are widespread. AMODEFA has previously faced the consequences of shifting US foreign policy, notably with the 2017 reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy, which led to direct cuts to their USAID-funded projects, an overall loss of 60% of project funding and the closure of 14 of their 24 youth-friendly spaces.

Impact: US funding cuts to UNFPA and Global Fund

While AMODEFA had not been receiving direct USAID funding prior to the second Trump Administration term, it relied heavily on UNFPA and the Global Fund as intermediary funders—both of which faced significant US funding cuts in 2025. This contributed to AMODEFA losing $500,000 in funding, and an estimated reduction of up to 20% of their 2025 operating budget. Because of these cuts, AMODEFA expect that 200,000 people were likely to lose access to SRH and/or HIV services in 2025, especially young people and key populations with whom AMODEFA primarily works. 

UNFPA funding enabled AMODEFA to provide SRH services to adolescents, youth, and vulnerable populations through community and school-based outreach and youth spaces within public sector sites in the humanitarian Provinces of Cabo Delgado and Tete. Funding for youth projects in Tete province has been cut in recent years due to shifting priorities of European donors, but in 2025, US funding cuts deepened these reductions, with project funding down 54% compared to 2024. AMODEFA’s staff were halved in Tete Province and in 2026, intervention districts are to be imminently halved from 4 to 2 with annual budget cuts of 53% compared to 2025. In addition, UNFPA funding for Tete has only been secured until March 2026, and no funding has been secured to continue operations in Cabo Delgado, leaving young people in this disaster-prone province with little, or no, access to SRH information and services.

This trend is mirrored in Manica Province, where the Global Fund has been supporting AMODEFA to deliver integrated SRH/HIV testing and treatment, including to people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ people, migrants, sex workers and IDUs. AMODEFA saw a budget reduction of 20-30% in 2025, with further cuts anticipated for 2026, significantly reducing its ability to provide HIV/STI information and services to key populations.

Commodity insecurity affecting remote areas the most

U.S. funding cuts are reportedly impacting access to SRH products in Mozambique in two ways: by reducing the overall volume of national procurement and supply, and by removing critical financial support for the logistical distribution around the country. As a result, public facilities and partners such as AMODEFA, are struggling to access the quantities they need, when they need them, with remote, rural areas at most risk of stock out. In a country where 87% of contraceptive users are using USAID-funded commodities[2], the immediate impact on access and choice will be profound. Upon request of the government, AMODEFA has stepped in to support distribution of commodities to several Provinces and Districts, where possible, but they cannot fill the gap.

Resilience and the path forward

AMODEFA has been developing a range of strategies to mitigate the ongoing funding crisis and build resilience. An emergency grant from IPPF’s Harm Mitigation Fund has enabled it to fill some of the immediate funding gaps, especially for youth and adolescent interventions. AMODEFA is working to diversify its financial base by actively seeking new partnerships with governments, while it focuses on increasing service income from clients with the means to pay, which in turn offsets the costs for those living in poverty. AMODEFA is also exploring shifting more towards digital health services, especially for young people, and increased collaboration with the private sector through corporate social responsibility and insurance schemes. While AMODEFA reports that years of dwindling support and recent cuts have dismantled vital infrastructure, and fears further cuts lay ahead, the organisation remains steadfast in its role as a protector of SRHR.