UN warns hunger crisis in Afghanistan deepening, women and children most affected

The United Nations has issued a stark warning that hunger and food insecurity are worsening in Afghanistan, with women and children facing the most severe consequences amid ongoing economic and humanitarian challenges.

According to UN agencies, Afghanistan continues to struggle with overlapping crises, including economic collapse, widespread unemployment, and climate-related shocks that have devastated livelihoods across the country. Rising regional tensions have also driven up food prices, putting additional pressure on vulnerable households.

“The little food we can afford we give to our children, but that is not enough,” said Raqiba Ahmadi, a resident of Faizabad city in northeastern Afghanistan. She added that her youngest daughter is recovering from malnutrition while her husband remains unemployed.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that persistent funding shortfalls have sharply reduced supplies of specialized nutritional food crucial for treating malnourished women and children.

Millions of Afghans remain at risk of severe hunger, prompting humanitarian organizations to call for sustained international support to prevent the situation from worsening further.