Afghan mothers and children face worsening hunger crisis, WFP warns
“WFP has been sounding alarm bells for months,” Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive Director, said at the end of a recent visit to the country
“WFP has been sounding alarm bells for months,” Carl Skau, WFP Deputy Executive Director, said at the end of a recent visit to the country. “This week I met malnourished mothers and children who travelled for over two hours to reach a WFP-supported clinic in Hisar Shahi camp, only to be turned away because we have no nutritious supplements left to give them,” he continued. “What I saw in eastern Afghanistan is happening across the country and it is heartbreaking and totally unacceptable.” Near-record malnutrition rates Afghanistan is already facing near-record levels of malnutrition, with nearly five million mothers and children affected. Pressures are mounting: the closure of the border with Pakistan, repeated floods and earthquakes, and a steep drop in humanitarian funding.
Tweet URL Amid the humanitarian crisis, there are also concerns over human rights and press freedom as the de facto Taliban authorities detained at least three journalists this week on unspecified charges. Middle East crisis spillover Soaring global fuel prices and disrupted supply routes from the Middle East conflict are pushing WFP’s already underfunded operations in Afghanistan to the brink. This comes as an additional 500,000 people have returned from Pakistan and Iran so far this year, adding to the nearly 2.8 million people who returned last year, with families moving into host communities who are themselves struggling. “We are also seeing vulnerable families crossing the border from Pakistan in growing numbers; many of them coming to a country where they know no one, have no place to go and have no idea where their next meal will come from,” Mr. Skau said.
“I met single mothers and families with young babies - all of whom crossed with nothing more than what they can carry. They need food, shelter, safety and immediate support.” Urgent support WFP has been opening new supply corridors, targeting the most vulnerable people and working closely with other UN agencies and partners. But without urgent donor support and expedited clearance of humanitarian supplies, “these extraordinary efforts will fall desperately short of preventing a humanitarian disaster for millions of mothers and children,” Mr. Skau warned. WFP urgently needs $350 million for the next six months for its life-saving operations in Afghanistan. Detention of journalists The worsening humanitarian situation comes amid broader concerns over rights and civic freedoms in Afghanistan. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed “serious concern” over the detentions of at least three journalists in recent days by the de facto authorities on unspecified charges.
The BriefWire