Three years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghanistan remains entrenched in one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. Despite some improvements in security, millions of Afghans are struggling to survive in the face of relentless poverty, displacement, and the cascading effects of an ongoing economic collapse. International aid organizations are sounding the alarm, warning that without sustained global support and long-term development assistance, Afghanistan risks becoming a forgotten crisis.
A coalition of leading humanitarian organizations, including Action Against Hunger (ACF), CARE International, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), issued a stark warning today: Afghanistan's situation is dire and worsening. According to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) for 2024, an estimated 23.7 million people—over half of the country’s population—are in need of humanitarian assistance, with children and women making up the majority of those affected.
“The world’s attention has moved on, but the crisis in Afghanistan has not. The country is reeling from an economic crisis, the lingering impacts of decades of conflict, and the devastating effects of climate change. Without urgent and sustained support, Afghanistan will continue to spiral deeper into despair,” said a spokesperson for the coalition.
The crisis is exacerbated by a severe shortfall in humanitarian funding. As of mid-August 2024, only 25% of the required funds for the year have been secured, leading to devastating consequences on the ground. Over 340 mobile health teams, which provide essential services in remote areas, have been forced to shut down, leaving millions without access to basic healthcare. Food insecurity is rampant, with 12.4 million people facing acute hunger, a situation expected to worsen in the coming months.
Women and children are bearing the brunt of the crisis. Many families, particularly those headed by women, are being pushed to make agonizing decisions just to survive—sending their children to work, relocating to informal settlements, or even undertaking perilous journeys across borders. The coalition highlighted that nearly half a million malnourished children could be deprived of lifesaving nutrition if the situation does not improve.
“The humanitarian needs are overwhelming, but this is not just a humanitarian crisis. Afghanistan’s plight requires a comprehensive response that includes long-term development assistance and diplomatic engagement,” the coalition stated. They called for increased international support to address the root causes of poverty and to build resilient communities less dependent on aid.
The organizations also urged the international community to reengage diplomatically with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities (DfA), emphasizing that isolation will only exacerbate the suffering of the Afghan people. They called for the lifting of bureaucratic and administrative barriers that hinder aid delivery and stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on the DfA to adhere to international human rights standards.
“The current isolationist approach by donor countries is not a solution. Afghanistan needs sustained, coordinated efforts that go beyond emergency aid. This includes investments in gender-responsive agriculture, climate adaptation, and market-based approaches to help Afghan communities rebuild and thrive,” the statement continued.
With poverty now nearly universal in Afghanistan and humanitarian needs escalating, the coalition’s message is clear: the world cannot afford to turn its back on Afghanistan. Without immediate and long-term support, millions of Afghans will continue to suffer, with women and girls, in particular, facing the most severe consequences.
As the global community faces multiple crises, the coalition urges donor governments to ensure Afghanistan does not slip further into oblivion. They call for fully funding the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) and for increased support to Afghan civil society organizations, particularly those led by women. The coalition also stressed the need for flexible funding to continue providing gender-responsive and multi-sectoral programming.
“Afghanistan’s future hangs in the balance. The choices the international community makes now will determine whether the Afghan people can find hope and stability or whether they will be left to endure even greater suffering,” the coalition concluded.
