UN: 4.2M People in Afghanistan Need Emergency Shelter

DID Press: UN-Habitat announced that in 2026, approximately 4.2 million people in Afghanistan urgently require emergency shelter and essential non-food items.

The agency stressed on Wednesday (April 8) that responding quickly to these needs cannot be delayed, emphasizing that adequate housing is “the first step toward achieving a stable future.”

According to the organization’s statement, the demand for non-food items such as blankets, tents, and other vital supplies has increased significantly, particularly due to intensifying natural disasters like floods and the large-scale return of migrants from neighboring countries.

The agency warned that Afghanistan’s housing crisis is escalating as thousands of families have been left homeless by recent floods, earthquakes, and economic hardship. Without rapid assistance, the risk of widespread homelessness and social crises in the capital and provinces is expected to grow.

Based on the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, the agency and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs aim to provide emergency shelter and non-food assistance to more than 881,000 people—an effort that will require substantial funding and broad international cooperation.

The United Nations emphasized: “Every family in Afghanistan has the right to a safe place to live.”