KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reports that around 1.5 million people in Afghanistan live with significant disabilities, the majority of whom are children.
Marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, UNAMA highlighted that explosive remnants of war, including Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), are the leading cause of disabilities in Afghanistan.
This year’s theme for the day is “Amplifying the Leadership of Persons with Disabilities for an Inclusive and Sustainable Future.”
In its statement, UNAMA emphasized that inclusive societies flourish when persons with disabilities take the lead in decision-making, policy development, and community leadership.
“In Afghanistan, despite facing significant challenges, persons with disabilities continue to inspire us with their determination, capacity for transformative change, and commitment to advocating for their rights and those of all marginalized groups,” UNAMA said, noting that they still encounter barriers to education, employment, healthcare, and participation in public life.
UNAMA says that women and girls with disabilities are particularly affected, often experiencing multiple forms of discrimination and violence, including domestic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual assault.
The UN mission in Afghanistan urged the Taliban, humanitarian organizations, civil society, and donor communities to recognize and support the leadership of persons with disabilities, stressing that their voices should drive the dialogue, actions, and policies shaping Afghanistan’s future.
Meanwhile, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, and the US Embassy for Afghanistan have also highlighted the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, calling for the protection of their rights.
“I stand with the millions of Afghans living with disabilities and call for local & global action to protect their rights and ensure their voices are heard,” Bennet wrote on X.
The US Embassy, now operating from Qatar, wrote: “In Afghanistan, as in many places, persons with disabilities face immense challenges, from lack of access to healthcare to social stigma. Together, we can ensure that persons with disabilities have the same right to acceptance, inclusion, and accessibility.”
Afghanistan, plagued by decades of conflict and violence, particularly the Taliban insurgency over the past two decades, remains one of the world’s most heavily contaminated regions with remnants of war, including landmines and unexploded ordnance.
The UN previously reported that two-thirds of Afghanistan is affected by explosives, with around 3 million people living within a 1-kilometer radius of mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and other remnants of war.
Each year, hundreds of people in Afghanistan die or suffer life-changing injuries from landmines and other remnants of war. Children are particularly vulnerable, as they often unintentionally step on landmines or pick up unexploded ordnance scattered around the areas where they live or play.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported in April that, over the past two years (from January 2022 to February 2024), at least 1,401 people have been killed or injured by explosive remnants of war, with 86% of the victims being children.
Meanwhile, organizations working on mine clearance, risk education, and assistance for survivors report a significant funding shortfall in recent years, leading several to cease or downgrade their operations.
