KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Afghanistan continued to face one of the world’s most severe and complex humanitarian emergencies in 2025, as nearly half of its population struggled to meet basic needs.
According to the latest annual report of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF), an estimated 22.9 million people required humanitarian assistance, reflecting the cumulative impact of prolonged conflict, economic decline, climate shocks, and widespread poverty.
In particular, food insecurity remained a critical concern, with 14.8 million people experiencing acute hunger, while 7.8 million women and children required urgent nutritional support. These conditions were further exacerbated by recurring drought linked to La Niña, water scarcity, harsh winters, and flooding, all of which deepened vulnerabilities across both rural and urban communities.
At the same time, Afghanistan faced increasing population pressures due to large-scale returns from neighboring countries, especially Iran and Pakistan. As a result, already fragile systems were placed under additional strain, particularly in border regions and areas of return.
Moreover, sudden-onset disasters, including a major earthquake in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, created urgent humanitarian needs, leaving thousands without shelter and access to essential services. Consequently, the humanitarian landscape in 2025 was defined not only by chronic needs but also by rapidly emerging crises that required immediate and flexible responses.
In response to these overlapping challenges, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund allocated $73.5 million through eight targeted funding rounds, ensuring that assistance reached the most vulnerable populations in a timely manner.
In addition, when combined with the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), total humanitarian funding reached $115 million across 12 allocations, supporting more than six million people nationwide. Notably, the Fund adopted a more flexible approach by prioritizing reserve allocations over standard allocations.
This shift allowed for faster and more precise responses to sudden crises such as displacement surges, natural disasters, and drought conditions, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of humanitarian interventions despite a constrained funding environment.
Furthermore, AHF-supported programs delivered life-saving assistance across multiple sectors, including health, nutrition, food security, water and sanitation, shelter, and protection. Rather than addressing these needs in isolation, the Fund emphasized integrated, multi-sectoral programming, enabling communities to access several essential services simultaneously.
This approach proved particularly effective in overcoming access barriers and logistical challenges, especially in remote and underserved areas. For instance, combining health, nutrition, and protection services in single delivery points reduced the need for repeated travel and improved access for vulnerable groups, particularly women and children.
In addition to expanding service delivery, the AHF significantly strengthened its focus on localization, recognizing the critical role of national actors in humanitarian response. Funding to local and national NGOs increased from 28 percent in 2024 to 39 percent in 2025, reflecting a deliberate effort to shift resources closer to affected communities.
As a result, 31 national NGOs, alongside 33 international NGOs and seven UN agencies, participated in delivering assistance across the country.
Moreover, the Fund introduced innovative partnership models, including a consortium approach, which enabled collaboration between local and international organizations. This not only improved operational reach but also enhanced contextual understanding and community trust, which are essential in complex humanitarian settings.
At the same time, the Fund made notable progress in promoting inclusivity by increasing support for women-led organizations and organizations of persons with disabilities. For example, eight women-led organizations received direct funding in 2025, compared to only one in 2023.
In parallel, capacity-building initiatives were expanded through targeted trainings and technical support, reaching more than 1,200 participants. Consequently, these efforts strengthened the operational capacity of local partners and improved the overall quality and accountability of humanitarian programming.
Meanwhile, innovation played a key role in improving response strategies, particularly through the introduction of anticipatory action for drought. In collaboration with CERF, the AHF allocated $14 million to support early interventions before the full impact of drought materialized.
As a result, humanitarian actors were able to mitigate risks, protect livelihoods, and reduce displacement. This approach marked a significant shift from reactive to proactive humanitarian action, demonstrating the value of early warning systems and risk-informed planning, even though further refinements in targeting and trigger mechanisms are still needed.
However, despite these advancements, significant challenges persisted, especially in relation to gender equality and access. Women and girls continued to face severe restrictions on mobility, employment, and access to services, which in turn increased their vulnerability to gender-based violence.
In 2025, 14.2 million people were identified as having GBV-related needs. In response, AHF-funded programs incorporated gender-sensitive measures such as women-friendly spaces, psychosocial support, and targeted outreach. Nevertheless, operational constraints, including restrictions on female humanitarian workers and requirements for male guardians, complicated service delivery. Therefore, organizations were forced to adapt by modifying staffing structures, increasing operational costs, and integrating services to ensure continued access for women and girls.
In a similar vein, cash and voucher assistance emerged as a critical tool for delivering flexible and dignified support. With $14.3 million allocated—representing 19 percent of total funding—cash assistance enabled families to prioritize their own urgent needs, including food, shelter, and healthcare.
Delivered primarily through local financial systems such as hawala networks, this modality proved particularly effective in emergency contexts. Furthermore, the fact that 94 percent of cash assistance was delivered through reserve allocations highlights its importance as a rapid-response mechanism in times of crisis.
Despite operating in a highly constrained and complex environment, the AHF maintained strong accountability and oversight. Through a combination of field monitoring visits, financial checks, audits, and third-party monitoring, the Fund ensured transparency and effective use of resources.
Although challenges such as access limitations, administrative delays, and compliance gaps were identified, adaptive management strategies allowed humanitarian partners to continue delivering assistance. In addition, improvements in partner performance, including the reduction of risk levels for several national NGOs, demonstrated the positive impact of sustained capacity-building efforts.
Nevertheless, the broader funding environment remains a significant concern. While the AHF continues to rank among the largest country-based pooled funds globally, overall contributions have declined compared to previous peak years.
This trend is largely due to competing global crises, which have diverted attention and resources. As a result, although donor support from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden remains strong, available funding is increasingly insufficient to meet growing humanitarian needs.
Looking ahead, the outlook for Afghanistan remains uncertain and challenging. Humanitarian needs are expected to persist at high levels, while financial constraints will require more targeted and prioritized interventions.
Consequently, difficult decisions will need to be made regarding resource allocation, with a focus on the most urgent and life-saving activities. In conclusion, while the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund continues to play a critical role in delivering timely and flexible assistance, sustained international support will be essential to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation and to ensure that millions of vulnerable people are not left without aid.
