World Food Programme: Hunger Crisis in Afghanistan Deepens by the Day

Photo: AP via Daily Sabah

The World Food Programme (WFP), in a newly released report, has warned that the hunger crisis in Afghanistan is “deepening by the day,” with women and children, especially those recently deported from neighboring countries, among the most vulnerable groups.

The UN agency announced on Sunday (August 3) that it urgently needs 539 million dollars in funding to provide effective assistance to millions of people in need in Afghanistan over the next six months.

According to the report, one in every five Afghan citizens does not know where their next meal will come from. Afghanistan remains one of the countries facing the most severe hunger crises in the world.

WFP states that this crisis is the result of four decades of war, widespread poverty, economic collapse, recurring droughts, and unpredictable climate change.

According to the data provided, it is projected that more than 3.5 million children under the age of five in Afghanistan will suffer from malnutrition this year; an increase of half a million compared to last year. Additionally, 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are in critical condition and are in urgent need of nutritional treatment.

The World Food Programme has emphasized that women and girls are the most affected by this situation, as they have been marginalized in society and have more limited access to essential resources.

The organization has also stated that female-headed households are considered one of the most vulnerable groups and are prioritized in receiving aid from the agency.

These warnings come at a time when, in recent months, the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries, especially Pakistan and Iran, has intensified. The return of thousands of displaced families has placed additional pressure on the country’s limited resources and doubled the need for urgent humanitarian assistance.