$1.4bn needed for humanitarian needs in Afghanistan: UNICEF

KABUL (Pajhwok): The UN Emergency Children Fund (UNICEF) has appealed for $1.4 billion to meet the humanitarian and basic needs of 19.4 million people in Afghanistan, according to a statement on Wednesday.

In Afghanistan, 23.3 million people, including 12.6 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024, mainly due to the residual impacts of a protracted conflict, extreme climate shocks and the country's severe economic decline, which is characterized by high unemployment and a fragile recovery, the statement said.

The exclusion of women and girls from most facets of life, including education and the workforce, has significantly increased their protection risks and worsened an already deeply challenging humanitarian situation.

The lack of investment in public services has contributed to the deterioration of key basic service provision, particularly in the WASH and health sectors, hindering the ability of vulnerable communities to recover from shocks and build resilience.

In response to the protracted, complex, multifaceted crises affecting Afghanistan, UNICEF is responding to acute humanitarian needs and meeting the basic, multidimensional needs of communities.

Two days ago, UNICEF announced that the agency launched a US$9.3 billion emergency funding appeal to reach at least 93.7 million children in 155 countries in response to an alarming surge in the number of children facing unprecedented humanitarian crisis worldwide.

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