Mothers and children in Afghanistan face a worsening hunger crisis, WFP warns

“WFP has been sounding the alarm for months,” Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive Director, said at the end of his recent visit to the country.

“This week I met malnourished mothers and children who traveled for more than two hours to reach the WFP-supported clinic in Hisar Shahi camp, but were turned away because we had no more nutritional supplements to give them,” he continued.

“What I saw in eastern Afghanistan is happening across the country and it is heartbreaking and completely unacceptable.”

Malnutrition rates have almost reached record highs

Afghanistan is now facing near-record levels of malnutrition, with nearly five million mothers and children affected. Pressure is mounting: the closure of the border with Pakistan, repeated floods and earthquakes, and a sharp reduction in humanitarian funding.

In the midst of a humanitarian crisis, there are also concerns about human rights and press freedom de facto Taliban authorities detained at least three journalists this week on unspecified charges.

The impact of the crisis in the Middle East

Soaring global fuel prices and disrupted supply lines due to the Middle East conflict are pushing WFP’s already underfunded operations in Afghanistan to the brink of collapse.

This comes as an additional 500,000 people returned from Pakistan and Iran so far this year, adding to the nearly 2.8 million returnees last year, with many families moving to host communities that are also experiencing hardship.

“We are also seeing more and more vulnerable families crossing the border from Pakistan; many of them are coming to a country where they don’t know anyone, have nowhere to go and don’t know where their next meal will come from,” Skau said.

“I met single mothers and families with small babies – all carrying only what they could carry. They needed food, shelter, safety and immediate support.”

Urgent support

WFP has opened new supply corridors, targeting the most vulnerable communities and working closely with other UN agencies and partners.

But without urgent support from donors and accelerated delivery of humanitarian aid, “these extraordinary efforts will not be able to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe for millions of mothers and children,” Skau warned.

The WFP urgently needs $350 million over the next six months for its life-saving operations in Afghanistan.

Journalist detention

This deteriorating humanitarian situation comes amid broader concerns about human rights and civil liberties in Afghanistan.

That United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed “serious concern” over the detention of at least three journalists in recent days by de facto authorities on unspecified charges.

These incidents come amid continuing reports of threats and attacks on several journalists and the confiscation of their property during search operations by de facto authorities.

In a statement on Thursday, UNAMA requests that the legal basis and any charges against detained journalists be clarified, and that due process rights be respected at all times.

A free, independent and safe press is essential to the transparency, accountability and well-being of Afghan society, Mission said.