The Norwegian Refugee Council has stated that citizens of Afghanistan have been enduring the worst humanitarian crisis for over three years, pointing to a decrease in global community aid aimed at addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
In a statement, the council noted that millions, including vulnerable women and children, are living in dire conditions and are facing temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees during the winter months.
The statement continued that, with the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country, it is essential for international aid organizations to increase their efforts and provide assistance to those in need more than ever before.
Jan Egeland, the head of the council who visited Afghanistan last week, mentioned that after decades of conflict, economic collapse, and devastating climate changes, the trend of Afghan migrants returning from neighboring countries has intensified, putting millions of citizens at risk of expulsion from neighboring countries.
This senior official of the Norwegian Refugee Council, who recently visited the border point between Afghanistan and Iran, stated that many citizens who left their homeland for a better life and migrated to neighboring countries are now at risk of forced expulsion.
He emphasized that these migrants are returning to Afghanistan while facing an uncertain future filled with unemployment, poverty, hunger, and other challenges.
According to information from the Norwegian Refugee Council, Iran is attempting to expel at least two million migrants by March of this year, while Pakistan has expelled 800,000 Afghan migrants since October 2023.
Jan Egeland also expressed concern over the severe restrictions imposed on women and girls by the interim government, stating that these restrictions will have negative impacts in various sectors.
He added that the current government’s recent ban on girls’ education in medical institutes will directly affect women’s health in the country and threaten their work and lives more than ever before.
This comes at a time when the current government has imposed numerous restrictions on women and girls since regaining power in Afghanistan. This group banned girls from attending secondary and high schools in September 2021 and subsequently deprived women of education in universities and employment in non-governmental organizations in December 2022.
