A girl in Afghanistan is screened for malnutrition using a MUAC band.

Afghanistan

We’ve been providing humanitarian support in the conflict-scarred country for over 25 years.

As a war-torn and natural disaster-prone nation, Afghanistan has faced extreme levels of chronic insecurity, internal displacement and widespread poverty.

Communities remain constantly at risk of hunger for a range of reasons, including recurring droughts, seasonal flooding, a lack of infrastructure and limited access to markets. These issues are particularly pressing for vulnerable populations in remote regions and millions of Afghans depend on external humanitarian assistance for their daily survival.

By the end of 2020, the number of people facing a hunger crisis increased to 16.9 million and as many as 7 million had little or no access to essential healthcare services.

Country facts

  • 190,563

    Action Against Hunger reached almost 200,000 people in Afghanistan through our programmes in 2020.

  • 38M

    Afghanistan has a population of 38 million.

  • 38%

    Almost 40% of Afghan children under five suffer from malnutrition.

Action Against Hunger’s work in Afghanistan

Our team in Afghanistan is recognised for its expertise in health and nutrition.

Action Against Hunger’s programmes in 2020 included:

  • improving access to health and nutrition services for vulnerable people living in remote areas without a local healthcare system
  • supporting pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five at risk of malnutrition
  • working at a national level to ensure information about hunger levels reached the wider humanitarian community
  • providing pyschosocial support and distributing hygiene kits in response to the Covid-19 pandemic
Save lives todayTwo children playing in Afghanistan.

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Dr Sohni, an Action Against Hunger member of staff in Pakistan.

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