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One third of Afghan children engaged in hard labor, reports IRC
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has reported that the needs of 40% of children in Afghanistan are unmet, and that one-third of children in the country are engaged in hard labor.
The agency reported on Wednesday, that many children have been forced into hard labor by their families due to increased poverty.
The report also examined the situation of children in Palestine and Sudan and states that the condition of children in the Gaza Strip and Sudan is “disastrous.”
The IRC stressed that aid agencies in Afghanistan have failed to meet even the minimum needs of 40% of children.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said recently that children in Afghanistan are forced to undertake hard and dangerous work in order to eat.
According to a report in 2022, in the northern areas of Afghanistan, 131,400 children, some as young as five years old, have been separated from their families and are exposed to violence and abuse.
The United Nations also reported that children’s access to basic services has been disrupted due to prolonged conflicts, displacement, severe poverty, food insecurity, lack of livelihood opportunities, and lack of investment, and there has been an increase in recruitment, abuse, and sexual violence against them in Afghanistan.
The Islamic Emirate rejected this UN report and said children’s rights are being met in the country.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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