UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for much more support amid acute and rising humanitarian needs for 3.5 million people displaced by conflict inside Afghanistan – including 700,000 who were displaced in 2021.
A lack of insulated shelters, warm clothes, insufficient fuel for heating, and inadequate amounts of food and medical supplies are just some of the deprivations that the forcibly displaced are facing in Afghanistan, as temperatures begin to plunge below freezing.
After more than 40 years of conflict, Afghanistan remains one of the most complex humanitarian situations in the world, with people on the move across the country following a series of climate-change related emergencies and natural disasters. Temperatures are expected to drop to -25⁰C, and many displaced families lack proper shelter – a primary requirement if they are to survive the bitter cold.
The humanitarian crisis is escalating daily in Afghanistan. Hunger in the country has reached truly unprecedented levels. Nearly 23 million people – that’s 55 per cent of the population – are facing extreme levels of hunger, and nearly 9 million of them are at risk of famine.
Supplying food to help avoid widespread starvation is another immediate priority.
This year, UNHCR has assisted some 700,000 displaced people across the country the majority since mid-August. The race is on to reach more. Currently we are able to reach nearly 60,000 people every week. Further resources are urgently needed for the most vulnerable -single mothers with no shelter or food for their children, older persons who have been displaced are left to take care of orphaned grandchildren, and those taking care of loved ones with special needs.
