The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that its critical programs in Afghanistan are at risk due to a funding shortfall, stressing that without timely funding, the humanitarian crisis will worsen.
In a social media statement on Wednesday, July 10, OCHA highlighted that its programs, including healthcare, shelter, food, education, and protection, are at risk due to a severe funding shortfall.
“If we fail to mobilize sufficient and timely funding, the ongoing humanitarian crisis will worsen,” the UN agency warned.
After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the humanitarian situation in the country has significantly deteriorated, making it one of the world’s most critical crises. According to the UN, now more than 23 million people, over half of its population, require urgent humanitarian assistance.
Additionally, the country has been grappling with numerous natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rains, flooding, and landslides in recent times. These events, in addition to human costs, caused significant financial losses for the already impoverished population.
Women and children face even broader challenges due to the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education, employment, and mobility.
Save the Children reports that over 6 million children in Afghanistan—six out of ten—will face crisis or emergency levels of hunger this year. The agency also projects that nearly 3 million children under the age of five in Afghanistan will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024.
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies are grappling with one of the most severe funding shortfalls in recent years. According to the UN, its $3.07 billion humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan remains significantly underfunded, with only 22.8% of the required funds secured to date.
The significant funding shortfalls have compelled many humanitarian organizations to scale back or halt their operations in the country.
Recently, a 60-bed maternity hospital in northeastern Badakhshan province ceased operations due to insufficient funds after the WHO, which had previously provided support, withdrew further assistance.
