UN agencies sound alarm over worsening malnutrition crisis in Afghanistan

A coalition of United Nations agencies has issued an urgent appeal for international action to address a deepening malnutrition emergency in Afghanistan, where millions of children and women face life-threatening health conditions amid severe food insecurity and collapsing healthcare services.

In a joint statement released Sunday, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, FAO, and UNFPA warned that over 3.5 million Afghan children under the age of five are currently suffering from acute malnutrition, with 1.4 million at immediate risk of death without medical intervention.

Afghanistan is now among the top 15 countries most severely affected by malnutrition, the agencies said.

The crisis is not limited to children. The UN reports that four in every ten Afghan women are malnourished, a crisis that is often underreported. Malnutrition in women, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding, contributes to complicated childbirth, elevated infant mortality rates, and long-term developmental issues for children.

The alarming statistics come as Afghanistan faces one of its worst humanitarian outlooks in decades, with over 9.8 million people experiencing acute food insecurity. Prolonged drought, economic collapse, and environmental disasters have left communities struggling to access sufficient food and basic healthcare.

“The health and futures of millions of Afghan children and women are on the line,” the agencies warned. “Without urgent and sustained funding, the consequences will be catastrophic and irreversible.”

Despite the growing severity of the crisis, humanitarian funding for Afghanistan has plummeted, with current support levels down by 40% compared to previous years. Aid agencies say this funding gap is drastically limiting their ability to respond.

The UN’s joint strategy calls for integrated interventions, including food assistance, expanded maternal and child healthcare, and nutritional education. Officials stress that these measures are critical to preventing a full-scale humanitarian collapse.

“This is not just a health emergency—it is a generational emergency,” said a senior UN official.

“Millions of Afghan children risk being permanently affected by hunger and deprivation unless the global community acts decisively.”

The agencies are now urging international donors and stakeholders to urgently scale up support for Afghanistan’s humanitarian response. They emphasize that global solidarity is essential to preventing further suffering and stabilizing a population devastated by decades of conflict, climate shocks, and economic hardship.

Without immediate intervention, the UN warns, Afghanistan could face a nutrition catastrophe with long-term consequences for its people and its future.