UNICEF Warns Poverty and Malnutrition Threaten Future of Afghan Children
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, has warned of the worsening conditions facing children in the country, citing rising poverty, ongoing conflict, and the climate crisis as serious threats to their lives and futures.
In a message posted Thursday, November 19, on his official X (formerly Twitter) account to mark World Children’s Day, Oyewale highlighted the increasing deprivation of Afghan children. He pointed to the reduction in funding for essential child services as a major factor depriving them of their basic rights and opportunities, and called for urgent strengthening of support services.
He emphasized that children’s rights must not remain mere slogans, asserting that these rights are a living commitment that the international community must protect through concrete actions and effective investments.
Earlier, Oyewale had also warned that millions of Afghan children are suffering from malnutrition. According to him, around 3.5 million children are experiencing acute malnutrition, and one million have become severely emaciated, putting them at serious health risk.
Amid the Taliban’s failure to effectively govern and the continued deterioration of the country’s humanitarian situation, international calls have grown for immediate action to address the condition of children. However, the lack of planning and restrictive policies of the Taliban administration towards aid organizations have hindered an effective response to the urgent needs of Afghan children.
