The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has escalated into one of the world's most severe crises, with children bearing the brunt of the suffering. Aid organizations, including UNICEF, have sounded the alarm as the number of acutely malnourished boys and girls continues to rise. Five years after the Taliban regained power, nearly one-third of the population lacks reliable access to food, a reality that is becoming increasingly visible in the 70 clinics operated by Save the Children across the country.
Shagufa Abdul, a humanitarian worker for Save the Children based in Kabul, describes harrowing scenes from her fieldwork. In August, she witnessed a severely emaciated mother traveling four hours in 45-degree heat to reach a clinic supported by the German government with her equally malnourished infant. Abdul notes that such cases are no longer exceptions but rather the norm. She estimates that approximately one million children between the ages of six months and five years are suffering from severe malnutrition, fighting for survival instead of playing or developing as they should.
Two primary factors are driving this catastrophe forward: the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighboring Iran and Pakistan in recent years, and significant cuts to funding by international donor countries, including Germany. Olga Cherevko from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the situation is expected to deteriorate further with the onset of winter. The number of people unsure where their next meal will come from is projected to exceed 19 million. By spring, five million people could face a catastrophic emergency, placing Afghanistan just one step away from famine.
Cherevko emphasizes the urgent need for action before winter arrives, rather than waiting until families have exhausted all options. This includes providing food aid, protecting livestock and productive assets, supporting farmers before planting windows close, and ensuring access to basic health, nutrition, and water services. However, current funding from the international community falls far short of what is required to address the crisis.
The lack of financing has already forced Save the Children to consider closing 40 health facilities worldwide this year. In Afghanistan, where the organization has operated since 1976 running nutrition centers and mobile health teams in remote areas, funding cuts have led to situations where malnourished children can no longer receive food at clinics. Abdul warns that if medical staff leave or clinics are forced to shut down due to lack of funds, families will have no alternatives, resulting in the death of children who would otherwise survive with basic care.
Sources: Tagesschau.