Nearly 20 million people going hungry in Afghanistan, warns the UN World Food Programme (WFP)
Almost half of the population in Afghanistan – nearly 20 million people – are facing acute hunger, according to the latest food security analysis, the Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The report, conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), WFP and many non-governmental organizations was made in January and February.
“18.9 million people are forecast to face acute hunger up until November this year”, said WFP’s Deputy Regional Director for Asia, Anthea Webb, when speaking at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva. “Generous donor support to humanitarian food assistance and agricultural livelihoods has been an absolute lifeline to alleviate suffering so far.”
Although humanitarian assistance averted a catastrophe in the harsh winter months, hunger continues at unprecedented levels across the country.
“WFP, known to the world as largest humanitarian food operation, reaching more than 16 million people so far in 2022”, said Anthea Webb. “We're working with farmers, millers, and bakeries, training women and creating jobs to support the local economy. And we will continue to invest in people's livelihoods through skills training and climate adaptation projects.”
Of particular concern – and for the first time since the introduction of the IPC in Afghanistan in 2011 – pockets of “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity, or IPC Phase 5, has been detected in the country.
More than 20,000 people in Ghor province, located in the northeast, are facing catastrophic levels of hunger resulting from a long period of harsh winter and disastrous agricultural conditions.
“Drought and economic crisis persist, threatening close to 20 million people across the country and the war in Ukraine continues to put pressure on global food and fuel prices, especially acutely in Afghanistan where they were already much higher than before”, said Anthea Webb.
The report predicts a slight improvement in food security from June through November. This is partly due to the wheat harvest season from May to August and a scale up in humanitarian food assistance, facilitated by donor support.
The latest announcement made by the Taliban de facto authorities saying that women should only leave their homes in cases of necessity and then, with their faces covered in public, will aggravate an already dire circumstance.
“In any situation where such an important portion of the population that women represent are unable to go to work - both because they've lost their jobs or because they are afraid to leave their houses, or because of newly imposed restrictions, - and that is bound to have a disproportionate effect on the family's ability to feed themselves”, said Anthea Webb.
WFP requires US$ 1.4 billion in 2022 to continue emergency, nutrition, and resilience response.
-ends-
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP , OCHA
UN urges opening of all Gaza crossings to deliver three-month food supply
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned food aid cannot reach everyone in Gaza unless all border crossings are opened, particularly in the north where famine was declared in August. The agency says it already has enough supplies in place to feed the entire population of the Strip for three months – if full access is granted by Israel.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNDP , UNICEF , OCHA , ICRC
Around $70 billion will be needed to reconstruct Gaza and make it safe after two years of war, UN development experts said on Tuesday, while aid agencies reported that far too little aid continues to reach desperate Palestinians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday welcomed the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision to name Maria Machado as this year’s laureate, in recognition of her work promoting the Venezuelan people’s democratic hopes.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , WHO
As Gazans jammed the main route leading north on Friday after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, UN aid teams repeated their call to open all crossings into the devastated enclave to prevent famine spreading.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
Two years of Gaza-Israel war bring ‘indescribable’ pain: UN humanitarians
Two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UN humanitarians on Tuesday reiterated calls for the release of all hostages in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering, as talks on a US-driven peace plan continued in Egypt.
1
1
1
Edited News
Syria prison survivor seeks justice for the missing with UN backing.
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned that three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for Ukrainian civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , ICRC
Quadcopter victims, terror and death: 30 minutes in a Gaza hospital
UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday delivered his oral update to the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on the human rights situation in Haiti.
The High Commissioner welcomed Wednesday’s decision of the UN Security Council to strengthen the Multinational Security Support mission by transitioning to the Gang Suppression Force for Haiti, stating it is a strong signal of international support for the Haitian people.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Gaza: As world waits for US peace plan news, UN aid teams stress need for ceasefire
UN agencies reiterated calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday to help alleviate Palestinian suffering, as a new US 20-point plan raised hopes of a halt to the fighting.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza City continues to overwhelm the war-torn enclave’s medical professionals, with four more hospitals forced to shut down this month alone, the UN World Health Organization said on Friday.