Afghanistan Peace Campaign
The United Nations has warned that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises after more than four decades of conflict and recurring natural disasters, saying millions of Afghans continue to depend on humanitarian assistance as food insecurity, displacement and economic hardship deepen across the country.
In a statement released on Tuesday, September 8, the United Nations said Afghanistan continues to face the devastating consequences of decades of war, political instability and climate-related disasters, leaving one of the world’s largest refugee populations and millions of people in urgent need of aid.
The UN said the humanitarian situation remains deeply alarming, with nearly 23 million people across Afghanistan experiencing acute food insecurity and requiring humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. The organization warned that prolonged economic hardship, repeated droughts, floods and earthquakes have further increased vulnerabilities across the country.
The statement comes as UN agencies have repeatedly warned that shrinking international funding is forcing humanitarian organizations to scale back life-saving operations in Afghanistan. Aid agencies say funding shortfalls have affected food assistance, healthcare, nutrition programs and support for displaced families.
The UN stressed that women, children, internally displaced people and returning refugees remain among the groups most affected by the crisis. It said continued restrictions on women’s participation in humanitarian work have also complicated efforts to deliver assistance to vulnerable communities.
Despite mounting challenges, the United Nations reaffirmed its commitment to remain alongside the Afghanistan people and continue providing humanitarian aid and essential services wherever possible. It said humanitarian assistance remains critical as millions of Afghans struggle to access food, healthcare, clean water and livelihoods.
The organization also urged the international community to maintain financial support for Afghanistan’s humanitarian response, warning that reduced funding could further worsen living conditions and undermine efforts to prevent a deeper humanitarian emergency.
The UN has repeatedly emphasized that sustained humanitarian assistance should continue independently of political developments, saying millions of civilians rely on aid to survive one of the world’s most protracted humanitarian crises.