Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s Representative in Afghanistan, has stated that the country is facing one of the most severe malnutrition crises in the world.
In a post on his account on X, Mr. Oyewale wrote that 3.5 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, with one million severely wasted and at risk.
He emphasized: “This is preventable. Sustainable funding and access to female health workers can save lives and protect children’s futures.”
Earlier, OCHA — the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — had also said that Afghanistan is facing one of the worst hunger crises in the world.
The agency reported that 9.5 million people are suffering from severe food insecurity, and one in five people does not know where their next meal will come from.
The return of the interim government to power and worsening drought conditions have deepened poverty across Afghanistan.
The United Nations recently reported that more than 22 million people in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance, even as international aid to Afghanistan has declined.
Meanwhile, as the economic situation deteriorates, neighboring countries have been forcibly returning Afghan migrants. This year alone, over two million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan.
