1
With five years to go until the 2030 Agenda deadline, most targets are far from being met, and SDG 3 on health is progressing more slowly than the Sustainable Development Goals as a whole
Only 10% of its targets have been met or are on track to be met, whilst 15% show no progress at all
Since 2000, maternal mortality has fallen by 40% and infant mortality by 52%. However, every day 712 women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 13,150 children die from mostly preventable causes, concentrated mainly in impoverished countries
Sustainable Development Goals
2
he scientific evidence on the links between climate change and health is becoming increasingly robust, reinforcing the urgency of adapting health systems to this new reality. For this reason, the WHO is promoting a Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health
The aim of the Plan is to promote climate-smart health systems that not only respond to the impacts of climate change but also help to mitigate them.
To address the growing impacts of climate change on health, it is essential to decarbonise health systems by incorporating renewable energy and sustainable supply chains; and to strengthen their resilience by adapting infrastructure and services to respond to extreme weather events
SDG 3: health and well-being
3
The crisis of multilateralism and the weakening of international institutions pose a direct threat to the ability to coordinate global responses to pandemics and health emergencies
The withdrawal of some countries from organisations such as the WHO, coupled with budget cuts, has reduced their legitimacy and effectiveness, increasing the fragility of the international system at a time when cooperation is more necessary than ever.
Reforming and strengthening these institutions is essential to ensure they can respond swiftly, transparently and credibly, encouraging the active participation of all states and civil society in decision-making
The crisis of multilateralism
4
The 6.9% reduction in Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2024, equivalent to a decrease of $15.119 billion compared to the previous year, constitutes a historic and unprecedented setback in absolute terms
ODA from DAC countries stood at a mere 0.33% of GNI, which seriously undermines the credibility of donor countries and the viability of the 2030 Agenda.
The fact that only four of the thirty-one DAC countries have met the target highlights a lack of political will and a disconnect between rhetoric and action.
Historic reduction in Official Development Assistance
5
The drastic, overnight reduction in Official Development Assistance will have immediate consequences for people’s lives and health. The interruption of health programmes could lead to up to 14 million additional deaths by 2030
The OECD’s forecast of a 17% reduction in total ODA, combined with the historic cut by the United States (50 billion dollars in a single year, equivalent to 92% of its aid) and those announced by several European countries (an additional 17.5 billion), suggests that 2025 could become the worst year in history for international cooperation
International Cooperation
6
The year 2024 has seen an unprecedented worsening of humanitarian crises, marked by increased violence against civilians, obstacles to humanitarian access and systematic attacks on healthcare personnel and infrastructure
However, international humanitarian funding has fallen compared to 2023, reaching only $36.367 billion. The sharp reduction in funding in 2025 leaves the humanitarian sector with an alarming funding gap: by mid-November 2025, only 25.1% of the funds requested to meet humanitarian needs had been received.
Worsening humanitarian crises vs. declining funding
7
In 2024, Spanish ODA reached €4,021 million, an increase of 11.8% compared to the previous year.
Although this increase is positive in absolute terms, the percentage of GNI remains at just 0.25%.
This means that Spain remains far from meeting its legislative and parliamentary commitments: the 0.55% target set for this parliamentary term, which ends in 2027, and the 0.7% target set out in the Cooperation Act for 2030.
Spanish ODA
8
ODA allocated to health saw an absolute increase of €29 million, reaching €276.7 million
This growth does not translate into a proportional increase within Spanish cooperation, where health accounts for a share of just 6.87%, clearly below the DAC average of 8.9%.
Health in Spanish Cooperation
9
In 2024, Spanish cooperation in humanitarian action has fallen by 20% compared to 2023, dropping from €213,777,954 to €174,175,615
This decline once again places the percentage of ODA allocated to humanitarian action below 5%, specifically at 4.33%, 1.6 percentage points lower than the previous year.
The General State Administration (AGE) was primarily responsible for this cut, with a reduction of 24% compared to 2023.
Humanitarian Action in Spanish Cooperation
