20 mn people to face acute hunger by March 2023 in Afghanistan: Report

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a report highlighted the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan for the coming year as about 20 million people are at risk of facing acute hunger by the end of March 2023, TOLO news reported.

The report predicted that four million children and women will experience acute malnutrition, with malnutrition rates continuing to be exceedingly high.

"The deteriorating economy has caused sharp declines in income, rising debt, and high unemployment. Due to a severe increase in commodity prices, people now spend 71 per cent of their income on food," TOLO news said citing the report. Moreover, due to the approaching winters, the residents of Afghanistan have time and again expressed their concerns over their deteriorated situation.

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.

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.