The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that it will provide cash assistance to one million vulnerable families in Afghanistan in 2025, Khaama.com reports.
OCHA reported on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, that nearly half of the Afghanistan’s population, around 22.9 million people, will need humanitarian assistance to survive due to the limited capacity to meet their ongoing and acute needs.
According to the report, 89% of the needy families in Afghanistan prefer “dignified cash assistance.”
OCHA has raised concerns about the increasing poverty and hunger in Afghanistan, warning that 14.8 million people, more than a third of the population, will face severe food insecurity by March 2025. The cumulative effects of long-term food insecurity, inadequate water and sanitation, and limited access to healthcare for pregnant women are further exacerbating the crisis.
The report states that in 2025, 7.8 million children under the age of five and women will require nutritional assistance, including 3.5 million children suffering from acute malnutrition and 1.1 million women needing treatment.
OCHA also noted that challenges such as climate change, the return of refugees from neighboring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan, and political developments will increase the risks of poverty and people’s needs.
According to United Nations statistics, 22.9 million people in Afghanistan are in need, with 21 million lacking access to sufficient water and healthcare, 14.8 million facing severe food insecurity, 14.3 million having limited access to medical services, and 7.8 million women and children requiring nutritional assistance.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has also emphasized that to help those in need, a budget of $2.24 billion will be required.
This continued humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan highlights the pressing need for international support, as millions of people struggle to meet basic needs, including food, water, and healthcare.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
February 6, 2025