UK Provides £8 Million to Combat Child Malnutrition in Afghanistan
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that the UK government has allocated £8 million to support programs addressing child malnutrition in Afghanistan. This funding will be utilized through a joint effort involving UNICEF, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other related agencies.
According to UNICEF, this aid will be spent under the “First Foods in Afghanistan” initiative, a plan aimed at improving access for children aged six to 23 months to diverse, affordable, and safe primary foods. The program focuses on healthy nutrition during the early years of a child’s life, a critical period for physical and mental development.
UNICEF added that more than 150,000 children under the age of two are expected to benefit directly from this initiative. Additionally, over 640,000 caregivers and other members of local communities will benefit indirectly from the program’s outcomes.
As Afghanistan faces a widespread crisis of poverty and food insecurity, aid organizations have repeatedly warned that existing restrictions and structural challenges have reduced the capacity to meet the fundamental needs of children. The continuation of such assistance is considered vital to prevent the worsening of the malnutrition crisis among children.
