The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that with the onset of winter, approximately 15.9 million people in Afghanistan will face acute food insecurity or severe hunger. OCHA announced in a report on Friday, October 30, that nearly one-third of the country's population suffers from a lack of access to sufficient food.
According to the report, the situation is expected to worsen during the winter months when access to remote areas becomes more difficult and food prices rise. The agency added that despite better rainfall this year and a relative increase in agricultural production, millions of families still cannot afford to buy the daily food they need.
OCHA also expressed deep concern about the situation of children in Afghanistan. The agency predicts that by 2027, more than four million children between six months and five years of age in Afghanistan will require treatment for acute malnutrition. Long-term malnutrition can cause irreparable damage to children's physical and mental development.
The report also addressed the negative impacts of the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women's education and work. OCHA warned that the continuation of these restrictions will cause Afghanistan to face a serious shortage of female professional labor by 2030. It is estimated that the country will face a shortage of 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 female health workers, which will severely limit access to essential services for women and children.
OCHA emphasized that short-term humanitarian aid is vital for saving lives, but to sustainably address the recurring crises in Afghanistan, long-term investment in livelihoods, essential services, and economic opportunities is necessary. The agency called on the international community to increase its support to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the coming winter.
This warning is issued as Afghanistan's economy has faced a severe crisis since the events of August 2021, with millions of people losing their jobs and living below the poverty line.
Source: OCHA
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