Norwegian Refugee Council Warns of Deepening Family Crisis in Afghanistan
Jan Egeland, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, has said the past five years have been a disappointing downward spiral for the people of Afghanistan, adding that families in the country are facing a crisis that is worsening month by month.
On Wednesday, 18 September, the Norwegian Refugee Council published a report on the situation of families in Afghanistan, saying people are facing a crisis driven by displacement, conflict, climate shocks and gender discrimination.
According to the report, Egeland said the country had been completely abandoned and that this had devastating consequences for women and girls.
Speaking about his trip to Afghanistan, he said: “Infant malnutrition is rising and communities are in the worst possible situation, with nowhere to turn.”
Egeland said he had met families forced to live in the most basic shelters, sometimes without a roof.
The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council said that today in Afghanistan, returning families are trapped in a horrific situation.
This comes as poverty has spread further under Taliban rule, women have been banned from education and work, and the forced return of hundreds of thousands of migrants has added to existing challenges.
The Norwegian Refugee Council has warned that families in Afghanistan are facing a crisis that, according to the organisation, worsens every month. It said the current situation is the result of displacement, conflict, climate shocks and gender discrimination at the same time.
Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said the past five years have been “a disappointing downward spiral” for the people of Afghanistan. He added that the country had been “completely abandoned” and that this has had severe consequences, especially for women and girls.
On Wednesday, 18 September, the Norwegian Refugee Council said in a report on the situation of families in Afghanistan that successive crises had reduced communities’ ability to cope with hardship. The organisation said many families are living in the most basic conditions without proper shelter.
After his visit to Afghanistan, Egeland said infant malnutrition is increasing and local communities are in the worst situation. He said he had met families forced to live in very basic shelters and, at times, without roofs.
The head of the Norwegian Refugee Council also said returning families in Afghanistan are caught in a “horrific” situation. This comes as poverty has become more widespread in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power, women have been deprived of education and work, and the forced return of hundreds of thousands of migrants has further increased pressure on vulnerable families and communities.
The Norwegian Refugee Council is an international relief organisation working to help displaced people, refugees and vulnerable communities. In recent years, Afghanistan has been a major concern for humanitarian organisations amid an economic crisis, sweeping restrictions on women and continued internal displacement.
