UN and UNICEF Warn of Worsening Child Welfare in Afghanistan

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a warning on the growing vulnerability of children worldwide in a message marking Universal Children’s Day, citing the impact of crises, poverty, and emerging threats on the future of the younger generation.

“Children today face poverty, crisis, climate disasters, and online threats. They bear the weight of life at a very young age; some are forced into labor, while others are caretakers for family members,” Guterres said. He added that war and famine have stripped children of their most basic rights, including the right to life.

In Afghanistan, the situation is even more alarming, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in the country. Tajudeen Oyewale warned that extreme poverty, ongoing conflict, cuts to essential service funding, and the climate crisis are threatening the future of Afghan children. “Children’s rights are not just slogans; they must be upheld through real action and investment,” he stressed.

UNICEF emphasized that every child, regardless of where they live, has the right to education, social protection, and to have their voices heard.

These warnings come as millions of children in Afghanistan—particularly girls—remain out of school, with thousands engaged in hard labor on the streets. Zahra, a ten-year-old student, said: “Children’s Day means nothing to me. I want to become a doctor, but these challenges have taken away my hope.”

Another resident from Balkh province said he must work to support his family and cannot attend school: “My mother is sick. I work to bring bread home.”

Meanwhile, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai called on the Taliban administration to immediately reopen schools and universities to girls. He emphasized that the country’s development hinges on the education of its children: “There is no difference between girls and boys; education is a fundamental right of every child.”

Despite repeated warnings by international organizations about forced marriages, malnutrition, lack of clean drinking water, and the effects of climate change on children, the Taliban authorities have failed to create the necessary conditions to protect children.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the UN three decades ago and now includes over 190 countries. Afghanistan joined the convention in 1994, pledging to uphold children’s rights and regularly report on their status—a commitment largely neglected under the current Taliban rule.