Afghanistan on the Brink of Malnutrition Crisis; Five Million Mothers and Children Urgently Need Aid
The World Food Programme (WFP) has stated that mothers and children in Afghanistan are at the forefront of a growing malnutrition crisis, with nearly five million in urgent need of assistance. The organization has warned that Afghanistan is on the verge of recording one of the highest rates of malnutrition.
In a report released on Saturday, 16 May, the WFP highlighted economic pressures, regional tensions, the widespread return of migrants, and a sharp decline in humanitarian aid as the main factors exacerbating this crisis. At the same time, many families, burdened by increasing poverty and unemployment, have lost the ability to meet basic food needs.
The World Food Programme added that the consequences of the Middle East war, including rising global fuel prices and disruptions to transport routes, have made it more difficult to deliver humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, depriving thousands of vital assistance.
Previously, the United Nations had warned that Afghanistan will continue to need urgent humanitarian aid in 2026. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that this year approximately 21.9 million people, nearly 45 percent of the country’s population, require humanitarian aid.
Humanitarian experts have repeatedly emphasized that the ongoing economic crisis and extensive administrative restrictions under Taliban rule have reduced the capacity to effectively address livelihood crises and increased millions of Afghans’ dependence on foreign aid.
