The Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) has issued a pressing call to the Swedish government, urging immediate and long-term action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

In a statement released during its annual meeting, the SCA warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of catastrophe.

“The people of Afghanistan are suffering severely from poverty and oppression,” the organization said, citing mass forced returns from Pakistan and Iran, with hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding back into a country already stretched beyond capacity.

With half of Afghanistan’s population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and millions lacking access to healthcare, education, and clean water, the situation is rapidly deteriorating.

The effects of climate change, including recurring droughts and floods, have further exacerbated living conditions, while international sanctions and the diplomatic isolation of the taliban-led government continue to harm ordinary civilians.

The SCA strongly condemned the Islamic Emirate’s restrictions on women’s education and participation in public life, calling them “a violation of their most fundamental rights.”

The organization emphasized that the IEA must take responsibility for the Afghan people and prioritize the expansion of essential services, especially in health and education, while ensuring respect for the rights of girls and women.

The committee also expressed alarm over recent aid cuts, particularly by the United States.

The solidarity committee urged Sweden to take the lead in supporting Afghanistan through three key actions:

Develop an urgent plan to help mitigate the crisis and provide direct humanitarian support; formulate a long-term strategy to enable Afghans to escape poverty through secure livelihoods and reliable access to education and healthcare; and to work actively to reopen international dialogue and break the stalemate in engagement with Afghanistan’s authorities.

“Sweden cannot stand idly by,” the statement concluded. “Our country has long stood for human rights, gender equality, and international solidarity — principles that must now be upheld through decisive action in Afghanistan.”