UNICEF Highlights Urgent Malnutrition Crisis Affecting 3.7 Million Afghan Children

UNICEF has issued a warning that 3.7 million children in Afghanistan are at risk of severe malnutrition. The organization states that as the peak season of acute malnutrition begins, the nutritional situation in many provinces of the country has worsened, primarily due to food insecurity and lack of access to nutritious food.

 

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that 3.7 million children in Afghanistan face the threat of severe malnutrition, a situation that has raised concerns about a nutritional crisis as the peak season for acute malnutrition begins. UNICEF Raises Alarm on Child Nutrition Crisis in Afghanistan highlights that food insecurity and lack of access to nutritious food are major factors exacerbating this crisis.

According to the report, malnutrition indicators are deteriorating in most regions of Afghanistan, with the nutritional status of children in 26 out of 34 provinces worsening compared to 2025.

Children Under Two at the Forefront of the Crisis

UNICEF has noted that children under the age of two are the most vulnerable to malnutrition, accounting for 83% of severe malnutrition cases and 77% of moderate malnutrition cases.

The organization warns that if this trend continues, an increasing number of children may face severe and life-threatening consequences.

Family Signs of Danger

Tajuddin Oweila, a UNICEF representative in Afghanistan, stated that a reduction in meal frequency or a decrease in nutritious food within households could indicate a risk of children developing acute malnutrition, which poses serious threats to their lives.

He emphasized the urgent need to enhance access to sufficient and nutritious food for families to prevent further escalation of the crisis. Winter Crisis: 17 Million Afghans Face Severe Food Insecurity has further underscored the critical need for immediate assistance.

Worsening Crisis in Afghanistan

UNICEF warns that with the onset of the peak season for severe malnutrition, the likelihood of increasing malnutrition cases in the coming weeks and months is high, intensifying concerns regarding the health status of children in Afghanistan.

The international organization has called for immediate attention to the nutritional crisis in Afghanistan and warned that without swift action, millions more children will be at risk. World Bank Issues Urgent Warning on Afghanistan’s Escalating Food Security Crisis highlights the broad implications of these ongoing issues.