Malnutrition Rates in Afghanistan Reach Record Highs
Taliban Takeover and Sanctions Cause Severe Hunger and Poverty
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Malnutrition rates in Afghanistan are at record highs with half the country enduring severe hunger throughout the year, a spokesman for the World Food Program said Thursday.
The Taliban takeover in August 2021 drove millions into poverty and hunger after foreign aid stopped almost overnight. Sanctions on Taliban rulers, a halt on bank transfers and frozen billions in Afghanistan’s currency reserves restricted access to global institutions and the outside money that supported the country’s aid-dependent economy before the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces.
Impact of NGO Ban on Women Workers
Aid agencies have been providing food, education and healthcare support to Afghans, including heating, cash for fuel and warm clothes. But distribution has been severely impacted by a Taliban edict banning women from working at national and international nongovernmental groups.
The ban has come at the worst possible moment, said Phillipe Kropf, a spokesman for the U.N. food agency in Kabul. Families and communities don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
The WFP scaled up its delivery and distribution of aid in anticipation of a tough winter before the ban came in, planning to reach 15 million this month with emergency food assistance and nutrition support. While it is not directly affected by the ban, 19 of its NGO partners suspended operations in Afghanistan following the Dec. 24 edict.
Hunger Crisis and Humanitarian Situation
The NGO ban on women workers has seen the suspension of 115 of 437 mobile health clinics, affecting 82,000 children, and pregnant and lactating women. The suspension of a training project is hurting 39,300 people, mostly women, while the pause of a school snack program has hit 616,000 students.
At a nutrition clinic in Kabul, 32-year-old nurse Anisa Samadi said most children and mothers will die without support from agencies like the WFP and World Health Organization. Their help is needed now more than ever, she told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Shortages of medicine alongside poverty and a lack of food means even a small illness can turn into a huge problem for many Afghans, she said.
International Reaction and Call to Action
The highest-ranking woman at the U.N. Amina Mohammed said Wednesday she used everything in her “toolbox” during meetings with Taliban ministers in Afghanistan to try to reverse their crackdown on women and girls, urging Muslim countries to help the Taliban move from the “13th century to the 21st” century.
On Thursday, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, asked for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ reaction to rising malnutrition rates in Afghanistan said: “It’s yet another sign of the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan we’re seeing in the midst of particularly harsh winter conditions.”
Conclusion
The situation in Afghanistan is dire, with half the country enduring severe hunger and malnutrition rates at record highs. The NGO ban on women workers has exacerbated the crisis, leaving many vulnerable Afghans without access to essential services. The international community must act swiftly to address this humanitarian crisis and support the people of Afghanistan.
FAQs
Q: What is the current situation in Afghanistan regarding malnutrition?
A: Malnutrition rates in Afghanistan are at record highs, with half the country enduring severe hunger throughout the year.
Q: What caused the current crisis in Afghanistan?
A: The Taliban takeover in August 2021 drove millions into poverty and hunger after foreign aid stopped almost overnight.
Q: What is the impact of the NGO ban on women workers?
A: The ban has suspended 115 of 437 mobile health clinics, affecting 82,000 children, and pregnant and lactating women. The suspension of a training project is hurting 39,300 people, mostly women, while the pause of a school snack program has hit 616,000 students.
Q: What can be done to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan?
A: The international community must act swiftly to address this crisis and support the people of Afghanistan.