The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has released a statement warning of the alarming severity of hunger and malnutrition in Afghanistan.
Kabul24: The crisis has been ongoing for years, but it has reached an unprecedented level in recent months. The OCHA reported in a tweet on Wednesday, June 21, that about 15.5 million people in Afghanistan face acute food insecurity, with 2.7 million people at the emergency level.
Acute Hunger and Malnutrition in Afghanistan
According to the OCHA report, some 3.2 million children and 840 thousand pregnant and lactating mothers suffer from acute, severe, and moderate malnutrition in the country.
The situation is further exacerbated by conflicts, displacement, economic hardships, and climate-related disasters.
World Food Program Faces Funding Shortfall
Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) has called for increased support to address the crisis and help the people of Afghanistan.
Carl Skow, the deputy executive director of the WFP who visited Afghanistan last week, said that the program is facing a funding shortfall of $918 million to maintain its operations for the next six months.
Without adequate funding, the WFP has already reduced its food aid, depriving eight million needy people of assistance.
Restrictions on Women’s Employment Affecting Aid
Furthermore, Skow added that restrictions on women’s employment have also impacted the aid process.
He stressed that “we have to find ways to ensure a safe and favorable environment for women and men.” However, without sufficient funding, it will be challenging to provide the help that is desperately needed by the people of Afghanistan.
The situation is critical, and the world must act now to alleviate their suffering and provide urgent assistance to those in need.
