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UK contributes $28 million for emergency support to children, women in Afghanistan
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has contributed an additional GBP 24 million ($28 million) towards UNICEF’s $2 billion Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal for Afghanistan.
With these funds, UNICEF will deliver lifesaving nutrition, water and sanitation, and child protection services to over 1.6 million people affected by the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. Around 1.3 million – 77 percent – are children, UNICEF reported.
These funds will also enable UNICEF to improve the nutritional status of over 700,000 children, provide safe drinking water and improved hygiene awareness to more than 350,000 people, and increase access to key protection services, including mental health and explosive ordnance risk education support, for over 500,000 people.
A further 18,000 households with pregnant and lactating women will also benefit from humanitarian cash assistance intended to address their nutrition needs and provide an entry point for the provision of case management services to over 3,400 children.
“Afghanistan remains one of the toughest places on earth to be a child. Children’s rights are under attack; their childhoods are marred by deprivation. Compounding factors including drought, malnutrition, the spread of preventable disease, the detritus of war, a stagnating economy, and limited and fragile social basic services are exacerbating challenges for children and women,” says Dr. Mohamed Ayoya, UNICEF Representative.
“We are grateful to the United Kingdom for its continued partnership during this critical time. These funds will allow us to continue addressing the immediate needs of the most vulnerable girls, boys and women across the country.”
A 20-year-old Afghan migrant has been arrested in Germany over the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl inside a school toilet in the city of Koblenz.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on April 28 after the suspect and another man allegedly entered the school premises. Investigators say the suspect cornered the girl in the restroom while a second 19-year-old man allegedly restrained her during the attack.
The girl reportedly told her older sister about the incident two days later. Her family then located the suspect at a nearby residence and informed police.
German authorities arrested the suspect on May 4. He remains in pre-trial detention and has been charged with committing sexual acts against a child on school grounds.
The Koblenz prosecutor’s office confirmed the suspect’s Afghan nationality to German broadcaster SWR. Prosecutors also stated that the man had previously been under investigation in another alleged sexual offence case. He had earlier been fined for possessing a blank-firing pistol without a licence.
Police said the second suspect is still being investigated as a suspected accomplice and remains at large.
Authorities have not yet clarified how the two men allegedly gained access to the school property.
Matiul Haq Khalis, Director General of Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), left for Baku on Friday at the head of an official delegation to participate in the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13), a major international gathering focused on sustainable urban development and environmental challenges.
The forum, organized by UN-Habitat, is scheduled to take place from May 17 to 22 in the Azerbaijani capital under the theme “Housing for All: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”
According to Afghan officials, the delegation will participate in a series of technical meetings and discussions on climate change, environmental protection in urban areas, sustainable development, waste management, green cities, air pollution control and strengthening urban resilience.
The World Urban Forum is regarded as one of the world’s leading platforms on urbanization and environmental policy, bringing together government officials, mayors, international organizations, climate experts and development institutions from across the globe.
On the sidelines of the event, Khalis and accompanying officials are also expected to meet with representatives of international organizations, donor agencies and foreign governments to discuss environmental cooperation, technical support and future joint initiatives.
Afghanistan’s environmental authority described participation in the forum as an important opportunity to expand international engagement, exchange experiences and seek practical solutions to the country’s growing environmental and urban challenges.
The visit comes as Afghanistan faces increasing concerns over climate-related risks, rapid urbanization, air pollution and environmental degradation, issues that officials say require broader regional and international cooperation.
Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday that Afghanistan remains a major focus for Washington in terms of terrorist activity and regional security threats.
Speaking during a hearing before lawmakers, Cooper said Afghanistan continues to be “on the forefront” of U.S. monitoring efforts regarding militant groups.
“Afghanistan remains on the forefront of what we are watching in terms of terrorist activity,” he told the committee.
The CENTCOM commander added that the United States is working closely with regional partners to contain and suppress potential threats emerging from Afghanistan.
The remarks come as U.S. officials continue to express concerns over the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American forces from the country in 2021.
The Islamic Emirate, however, has denied presence of militant groups in Afghanistan, emphasizing that it will not allow Afghan soil to be used against any other country.
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