UN Warns of Deepening Hunger Crisis in Afghanistan

DID Press: UN has warned that Afghanistan’s economic crisis and declining foreign aid have sharply worsened hunger conditions, leaving millions of people facing severe food insecurity, with women and children among the most affected groups.

According to the UN report, more than 17 million people out of Afghanistan’s estimated 44 million population are expected to experience severe food insecurity this year.

Human Rights Watch, citing the report, said that by June, less than 20 percent of the funding required for the UN’s Humanitarian Response Plan had been secured. The organization warned that major cuts in assistance from the United States, the United Kingdom, and other donors have forced aid agencies to reduce services and prioritize only the most vulnerable communities.

The report indicates that by April 2026, only 20 percent of Afghan households were able to access sufficient food without external assistance, down from 28 percent before October 2025. Around 22 million people currently require urgent food aid and health services.

The UN also identified the forced return of nearly five million Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan, drought, limited employment opportunities, and restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women’s employment in aid organizations as key factors worsening the humanitarian situation.

Aid agencies have warned that without urgent funding, millions of Afghans could lose access to life-saving assistance. The United Nations has called on international donors to increase humanitarian support for Afghanistan and urged the Taliban to remove restrictions on women’s rights and employment to improve aid delivery.