Children in Afghanistan should not be abandoned, says UNICEF as some partners consider cutting aid

"Now, with a security crisis, skyrocketing food prices, a severe drought, the spread of COVID-19, and another harsh winter just around the corner, children are at greater risk than ever," George Laryea-Adjei, Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia warned.

(Credits: Reuters)

New Delhi: A senior official of the UN Children`s Fund (UNICEF), after concluding his visit to the war-hit country appealed on Sunday (August 29, 2021) that the world "cannot abandon Afghan children now” when their needs are greater than ever before. 

George Laryea-Adjei, Regional Director for UNICEF South Asia, who visited Afghanistan and took stock of the situation there, said children have paid the heaviest price in recent weeks of increased conflict and insecurity.

The Regional Director said, not only have some been forced from their homes and cut off from their schools and friends, they have also been deprived of basic healthcare that can protect them against polio, tetanus and other diseases.

"Now, with a security crisis, skyrocketing food prices, a severe drought, the spread of COVID-19, and another harsh winter just around the corner, children are at greater risk than ever," he warned.

As per UNICEF, if the current trend continues over 1 million under-fives in Afghanistan will face severe acute malnutrition. This will be a life-threatening condition, predicted UNICEF. Laryea-Adjei said more than 4 million children, including 2.2 million girls, are out of school.

George Laryea-Adjei also added, around 300,000 youths have been forced to flee their homes, some of whom were in bed sleeping "and too many of them have witnessed scenes that no child should ever see," he said.

"Children and adolescents are struggling with anxieties and fears, in desperate need of mental health support," he further added.

Additionally, as some humanitarian partners considering cutting aid to Afghanistan, Laryea-Adjei voiced concern over having enough resources to keep health centers up and running, schools open and services available to treat severely malnourished children.

UNICEF has been in Afghanistan for more than six decades and it continues to maintain a field presence across the country. 

The agency is currently supporting mobile health and nutrition teams at camps for displaced people, and setting up child-friendly spaces, nutrition hubs and vaccination sites, while also prepositioning additional lifesaving supplies and supporting thousands of students in community-based education classes.

However, Laryea-Adjei stressed that more resources are direly needed. UNICEF recently launched a 192 million US dollars appeal to address the escalating humanitarian crisis, and urged donors to step up support.

(With ANI inputs)