In Afghanistan, 1160 families in northern provinces receive monetary aid amid crisis

Amid the ongoing humanitarian and economic crises compounded with COVID-19, at least 1,160 destitute families in the northern provinces of Afghanistan received monetary aid. On Wednesday, each family was handed a sum of $400 each provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), provincial director of Kunduz for Information and Culture, Qari Matuhullah Rohani informed Xinhua. Adding that the families in crisis will receive further aid, he asserted that the assistance will help them to overcome the intermittent crises.

This development comes after Disaster Emergency Committee in its recent report warned that at least 8 million people in Afghanistan are on the brink of famine. In addition, 95% of the population is suffering from food insecurity and starvation. Crumpling finances and surging poverty is expected to plunge at least 97% into poverty by 2022, UNDP warned. As per World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Afghan health sector too is on the "brink of collapse" due to a shortage of staff and adequate amenities.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Afghan economy has been mired in crisis way before the Taliban takeover in August. Nevertheless, with a steady supply of humanitarian aid and economic assistance, the country journeyed through. However, with the Taliban assuming power after US troops' hasty withdrawal, suspension of international aid has pushed the country in a downward spiral. Manifold increase in violence and repressive measures against women and girls have also pushed the war-torn nation into what UN Chief Antonio Guterres described as a "humanitarian catastrophe."

Some 6,68,000 Afghans displaced amid war: UNHCR

Afghanistan is facing a convergence of crises, including drought, pandemic and winter. The socio-economic conditions have now left above 3 million internally displaced Afghans on the edge of a humanitarian catastrophe. The effect of the imploding economy, poor harvest, and soaring unemployment have pushed a population of 22.8 million people into hunger, UNHCR reported. Furthermore, a combination of international sanctions due to lack of recognition of the Taliban regime and myriad of issues like violence and human rights violations has also left Afghans living in makeshift tents wondering how they will afford their next meal. Women and children have been one of the worst affected. Over 4 million children are now out of school, while there have been reports of a drastic increase in child marriage, according to UNICEF.

(Image: AP)