Afghanistan’s security situation combined with the pandemic and drought is creating one of the worst global humanitarian disasters. The situation continues to evolve with over 24 million Afghans in desperate need of emergency crisis relief with basic living requirements such as food and healthcare not being met. 

 

UN Assistant Secretary-General Wignaraja states, “A transition to new authorities, a pandemic, a drought, an oncoming winter season – each of these on their own would already pose a major challenge. Taken together, they form a crisis that demands urgent action”. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has stated that by mid 2022, 97% of Afghans face plunging into poverty. A rapid response is needed urgently to address the emergency crisis that continues to unfold. 

 

The biggest victims in the crisis are children. The World Food Program states that 1 in 3 Afghans are hungry and 2 million children are malnourished. UNICEF has reported at least 1 million children are at risk of dying due to severe acute malnutrition without immediate treatment. World Vision staff recently reported parents having no choice but to sell their children due to extreme poverty. New born babies starving in maternity wards is now not uncommon. Globally, Afghanistan sadly ranks 1st for infant mortality rates and 11th for maternal mortality. 
 

The healthcare situation is dire throughout the country. Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have reported concerns over the rising numbers of malnourished Afghans and lack of healthcare available as they continue to operate clinics across the country. 

 

UNHCR reports there are approximately 3.4 million internally displaced peoples (IDPs). After the government regime change in August 2021, this includes 700,000 newly displaced IDPs, of whom 80% are women and children. Meanwhile, over 5.7 million Afghan refugees and host communities in neighboring countries are in need of support.