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.