Humanitarian aid
Afghanistan’s record hunger and rights crackdown threaten millions as winter approaches
UN reports show 15.9 million Afghans face acute food insecurity, over 32 % in crisis, while girls are barred from school and hundreds of rights violations, including arrests and public floggings, have been recorded.
Escalating food crisis
UN monitoring shows that 15.9 million Afghans are currently classified as acutely food‑insecure, with 3.4 million already in emergency conditions that precede famine. More than 32 percent of the population falls into crisis‑level scarcity (IPC phase 3 or higher). Seasonal forecasts indicate that, from November through April, nearly 19.2 million people could experience phase 3 or above, including about five million in emergency phase 4. The report also warns that 4.04 million children under five are expected to require treatment for acute malnutrition during 2027, as disease outbreaks and deteriorating water, sanitation and hygiene services further strain household coping capacities.
Rights clampdown amid humanitarian collapse
UNAMA’s July‑September assessment recorded a sharp increase in rights violations. Girls remain prohibited from formal schooling beyond sixth grade, and more than 50 incidents of women being arrested, detained or cautioned for alleged hijab infractions were documented, chiefly in Herat and Kabul. The mission logged at least 443 arbitrary arrests and 97 cases of ill‑treatment for offenses ranging from trimmed beards to listening to music. Public corporal punishment persisted, with 22 men and six women publicly flogged. Media outlets faced suspension, and a new police law now bans all demonstrations. Since October 2025, cross‑border clashes have killed 512 civilians and injured 1,236, including children.
Funding appeal and a closing window of action
The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization have issued an urgent appeal for additional resources to expand food distributions, support emergency agricultural interventions and scale up treatment for acute malnutrition. Both agencies stress that the seasonal window to prevent a massive winter surge is rapidly closing, and that without swift financing families risk losing the means to meet basic needs. They emphasize that restoring livelihoods and ensuring reliable food supplies are essential to avert the projected rise in emergency‑phase insecurity and to protect vulnerable children across the country.