At least 1 million Afghan children at risk of starvation, warns UNICEF director

At least one million children in Afghanistan will suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year and could die without proper treatment, warned United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund’s (UNICEF) Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Please help us,” she said.

According to a report by CNBC, Fore implored the international community and wealthy nations to help avert further suffering after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.

Today, in Afghanistan:
*95% of households don't have enough to eat
*2 million children are malnourished
*97% of Afghans could be poor in 2022
*90% of healthcare facilities have closed b/c of no aid
*Thousands of children under 5 could die each month
This is utterly devastating.

— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) October 7, 2021

“Nearly 10 million girls and boys depend on humanitarian assistance just to survive,” she said at a UN ministerial-level meeting on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan.

Fore also emphasised UNICEF’s ability to operate in Afghanistan. She said, “UNICEF has been on the ground in Afghanistan for more than 70 years. We know what needs to be done for children. And we can get it done.”

According to Fore, during the last week of August, UNICEF provided 4,000 severely malnourished children under five with life-saving therapeutic treatment.

“Please help us. There has never been a more urgent time to stand with the children of Afghanistan and the people who serve them,” she said.