With More than Half of Afghans Dependent on Humanitarian Aid, IOM Calls for Sustained Support
Geneva – Over one year after the Taliban takeover, an estimated 24.4 million people – 59 per cent of the population in Afghanistan – are dependent on international aid and emergency relief in their day-to-day lives.
Since August 2021, nearly all Afghans have plunged into poverty and the country has been facing the risk of systemic collapse. This humanitarian catastrophe is largely driven by rising food prices, severe malnutrition, limited livelihood opportunities, as well as conflict-driven displacement and complex protection needs, including emergency accommodation, referrals, and family reunification.
People living in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan are in critical need of emergency aid. Basic service delivery has been severely impacted and development programmes have been suspended. Ongoing economic and environmental shocks have led to significant drops in income, shrinking remittance flows, and surging prices for food and other commodities.
In this complex situation, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) continues to address humanitarian needs and reduce protection risks for people on the move while working towards mitigating the impact of ongoing and emerging crises like the major earthquake that struck this June.
Over the past 12 months, IOM has assisted more than 1.3 million Afghans through the distribution of food, temporary shelter, access to protection, water, hygiene, health services and other essentials. Shelter activities have been drastically expanded, reaching almost one out of two Afghans in need, while healthcare grew from 4 provinces before August 2021 to 13 as of August 2022, supporting more than 411,000 individuals with life-saving services.
A year after the start of the crisis, IOM’s Comprehensive Action Plan 2021-2024 is only funded at 34 per cent, with most of the funding focusing on the most fundamental humanitarian needs. In light of the deteriorating living conditions due to a rise in the cost of living, the impact of the war in Ukraine on food and fuel prices, a major rise in unemployment and climate change induced shocks and disasters, IOM seeks additional funding for recovery programming inside Afghanistan. The progress made in support of the Afghan people must be amplified in the coming months and ahead of the upcoming winter.
Read the full report IOM Operational Highlights in Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries here.
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For more information, please contact:
Safa Msehli, smsehli@iom.int
Johanna Bohl, jbohl@iom.int
