UN for urgent global action to prevent Afghan malnutrition

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations has urged immediate global action to prevent malnutrition in Afghanistan, warning that efforts to combat the crisis have reached a critical juncture.

In a joint statement, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said that addressing malnutrition among Afghan women and children is now at a crucial stage.

The statement highlighted that the UN Joint Strategic Framework on Nutrition supports urgent and targeted interventions to combat all forms of malnutrition and to prevent further harm to vulnerable children and women.

It stressed that coordinated action at global, national and community levels is essential to mitigate the devastating impact of the ongoing crisis.

The UN agencies noted that Afghanistan is among the 15 countries with the highest rates of child wasting, with over 3.5 million children under the age of five suffering from malnutrition — 1.4 million of whom are at risk of death.

According to the statement, 9.8 million people in Afghanistan are currently experiencing food insecurity.

The main contributing factors to the crisis have been identified as food insecurity, prolonged drought, and a weakened economy.

The statement concluded: “The goal of the UN Joint Strategic Framework on Nutrition is to prevent child wasting and to address the broader malnutrition emergency in Afghanistan. UNICEF, WHO, WFP, FAO and UNFPA are calling for a multi-sectoral and coordinated response. Particular focus must be placed on strengthening social protection systems, education, and food, agriculture and healthcare infrastructure to effectively prevent, detect and treat child wasting and other forms of malnutrition.”

kk/ma