23.7 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian aid: UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said at least 23.7 million people in Afghanistan, including 12.3 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported.

According to UNICEF, only 35 percent of the US$1.4 billion needed for children in Afghanistan has been secured. UNICEF released its latest report on the humanitarian situation in the country in March.

The report blamed the long-running conflict, climate change, economic recession and rising unemployment for the increase in poverty in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

The report said 14,570 suspected cases of measles and 71 deaths have been recorded in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2024.

According to UNICEF, more than 11,000 of these patients are children under five years of age, and more than 6,000 measles patients are women. UNICEF urges its humanitarian partners to prioritize the protection of women workers in Afghanistan.

The UN report comes at a time when Save the Children has expressed concern over the situation of children in Afghanistan. The international non-governmental organization said that 250,000 Afghan children returning from Pakistan are facing lack of food and shelter.

According to Khama Press, on 27 April the World Food Program said it was distributing food and cash to six million people there every month.

According to UN estimates, about 15.8 million people in Afghanistan will experience food insecurity crisis and emergency level.

It is noteworthy that the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has asked for a budget of US $ 3.6 billion to meet the basic needs of the people in Afghanistan.