The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that nearly 23.7 million people in Afghanistan are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance this year, as the country faces compounding crises with long-term impacts.
The report highlights the deepening humanitarian emergency in Afghanistan, where successive natural disasters, climate change effects, internal displacement, economic instability, food insecurity, and a deteriorating healthcare system have left the population increasingly vulnerable. Currently, more than 85 percent of Afghans live below the poverty line.
The humanitarian situation worsened further in April and July of this year, when heavy rains and widespread flooding directly affected an estimated 295,000 people across 33 provinces. Women and children, noted as particularly vulnerable, are in need of comprehensive support focused on health and livelihood restoration, especially in flood-affected areas.
The Red Cross also noted that Taliban-imposed restrictions on women’s participation in aid work have severely hindered relief efforts, exacerbating the crisis. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recently highlighted that since 2021, the Taliban have issued 71 directives that directly impact humanitarian operations, many of which specifically target women’s involvement in the aid sector.
“Out of 392 directives affecting humanitarian efforts, 71 directly obstruct Afghan women’s participation,” OCHA reported, underscoring that despite these significant restrictions, humanitarian workers continue to strive for women’s inclusion in all facets of relief, from assessments to monitoring.
The OCHA analysis also warned of Afghanistan’s deteriorating healthcare system, signaling urgent concerns over a potential collapse.
