90% of Afghan Children Suffer Food Insecurity

DIDPress: UN urges immediate action to address the nutrition crisis in Afghanistan.

Key UN agencies, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the United Nations Population Fund, have urged coordinated and comprehensive efforts to tackle the nutrition crisis affecting children and women in Afghanistan.

In a “Joint Strategic Call for Action on Nutrition” issued by the UN, the necessity of urgent and holistic interventions was stressed to combat all forms of malnutrition.

The call warns that without support at global, national, and local levels, the lives of millions—especially children and women—are at serious risk.

According to UN statistics, over 3.5 million children under the age of five in Afghanistan suffer from acute malnutrition, with 1.4 million facing life-threatening forms.

Additionally, 40% of women are malnourished and often deprived of the necessary aid.

Moreover, the economic crisis, food insecurity, and natural disasters such as drought have left approximately 9.8 million people in severe food insecurity.

Out of every 10 young children, 9 are living under conditions of food poverty.