The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan is
facing a worsening hunger crisis, with women and children bearing the brunt of
deepening food insecurity, according to a UN report.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said the country is grappling
with overlapping challenges, including economic collapse, widespread job losses
and climate-related shocks, compounded by rising regional tensions that are
driving up food prices.
“The little food we can afford we give to our children, but
that is not enough,” said Raqiba Ahmadi, a resident of Faizabad, whose young
daughter is recovering from malnutrition while her husband remains unemployed.
The WFP warned that the combined pressures have
significantly depleted stocks of specialized nutritional food used to treat
malnourished women and children across the country.
“Programmes such as nutrition assistance are essential, not
optional,” said John Aylieff, the agency’s country director in Afghanistan.
Even before the latest developments, Afghanistan was already
experiencing record levels of hunger. According to UN data, more than 13.8
million people are currently facing acute food insecurity.
Nearly five million children, as well as pregnant and
breastfeeding women, are suffering from malnutrition, underscoring the scale of
the crisis.
Aid officials say food assistance and nutrition programmes remain
a critical lifeline for millions across the country. However, funding
shortfalls and increasing needs are putting these efforts under severe strain.
“But unfortunately, this lifeline has already been severed,
threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of mothers and children,”
Aylieff warned.
The UN cautioned that without urgent international support,
the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan could deteriorate further in the
coming months.
