KABUL (Pajhwok): Humanitarian aid cuts have contributed to a 60 percent hike in the number of people in need of assistance in Afghanistan, says a global relief organisation.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Tuesday the aid cuts had also contributed to economic challenges, climate change and reduced access to basic services.
In a statement, IRC said only 23 percent of required funds for this year’s humanitarian response plan had been received.
But despite major obstacles, it explained, the humanitarian response had successfully averted famine for the past two winters in Afghanistan.
It added: “The significant scale-up of the humanitarian response has brought the number of people on the brink of famine down by nearly 3 million this year alone – a remarkable feat that helped young children, who are most vulnerable during a food crisis, especially.”
IRC Country Director Salma Ben Aissa noted: “Since August 15, 2021, Afghanistan has continued to suffer from a rapid economic collapse.
“Ordinary Afghans have paid the price; people who previously had jobs and were self-sufficient are now reliant on humanitarian aid and many families can no longer afford to feed themselves.”
Two years later, she said, the economy remained cut off from international systems and 28.8 million people needed humanitarian assistance, with almost the entire population living in poverty.
In the face of significant challenges, she said, humanitarian actors had been able to expand their activities to deliver life-saving assistance to over 17 million Afghans.
“This is a critical moment for Afghanistan; donors should commit to supporting the humanitarian response in a long-term and flexible manner to ensure assistance continues to reach those that need it most…”
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