Report reveals surge of nearly 50 per cent in malnutrition cases among Afghan children
Nov 01, 2022
Kabul [Afghanistan], November 1 : One year since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the economic crisis has shattered the lives of people in the country, leaving them impoverished and hungry. The cases of malnutrition among Afghan children have skyrocketed by nearly 47 per cent since the beginning of the year, an organization, Save the Children highlighted in a report on Monday.
According to the report, approximately 2,500 impoverished children were treated by the humanitarian body "Save the Children" in January and now the number has surged to almost 4,270 children, including many succumbing even before treatment, Khaama Press reported.
Highlighting the plight of Afghan children under Taliban rule, the country director of Save the Children in Afghanistan, Chris Nyamandi said, "Humanitarian organizations like Save the Children are stretched to the absolute limit trying to stop children dying from hunger every day in Afghanistan. But the truth is, with so many children facing life-threatening levels of hunger, we simply do not have the resources to save them all."
Afghanistan is currently grappling with a serious humanitarian crisis as according to international assessments, the country now has the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world, with more than 23 million in need of assistance, and approximately 95 per cent of the population having insufficient food consumption.
Moreover, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year.
Additionally, the Ukraine crisis has had a massive impact on the rise in food costs and how it became out of reach for many Afghans.
Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated, especially against women and minorities. As a result of this, women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a human rights crisis, deprived of the fundamental rights to non-discrimination, education, work, public participation, and health, reported Khaama Press.
Besides this, the continuously soaring prices of food products in the country have emerged as a new challenge for Afghans. In a short span of fewer than three months, food prices have almost doubled putting numerous Afghans on the brink of starvation.
