KABUL, Afghanistan — The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned on Saturday that sharp reductions in humanitarian funding for Afghanistan by major donors are forcing the organization — along with others — to drastically scale back vital assistance to some of the country’s most vulnerable communities.
In western Afghanistan, women, men, and children living in makeshift settlements are already bearing the brunt of the world’s neglect, the NRC said in a statement. Many of the displaced — forced from their homes by conflict, drought, and poverty — lack the resources to secure permits or transportation needed to seek safety or opportunity in neighboring countries.
“Instead, many end up in slum-like informal settlements on the outskirts of larger cities,” the NRC said. “Life in these areas is a daily struggle for survival, with many children collecting plastic for recycling, and entire families surviving on stale bread and tea.”
NRC staff who recently visited informal settlements reported meeting families left destitute after aid was slashed by governments that had once pledged not to abandon Afghanistan.
The NRC emphasized that its legal aid and information teams provide critical support to internally displaced and returning Afghans, helping with access to housing, food, legal assistance, and healthcare referrals.
“This support is especially important for Afghan women who have become heads of their households after their husbands have died or migrated,” the NRC noted, highlighting that cultural and religious norms often require female-to-female assistance.
The organization also warned that the shrinking number of female aid workers in Afghanistan is further restricting access to essential services for women and children, deepening cycles of poverty and eroding basic rights.
