The winter season in Afghanistan has become a battle of life and death. As the temperature is falling, the crisis of hunger, malnutrition and helplessness facing crores of people of the country is deepening. The situation is so bad that many families do not have food to feed and are forced to put their children’s future at stake.
According to the World Food Program (WFP), this year the situation in winter is going to be more dire than in normal years. Winter in Afghanistan is long and cruel. The months of December and January are already considered the most dangerous in Afghanistan in terms of child deaths. In many areas it lasts for six months. In such a situation, this dangerous combination of hunger, cold and disease has become a threat to the lives of millions of people.
Malnutrition reached record level
Afghanistan is currently going through the biggest food crisis in decades. The severe drought has ruined the crops of the farmers. Rain-dependent wheat cultivation has almost ended. The production of fruits and vegetables is also suffering huge losses. Crops like pomegranate, fig, mulberry, melon and watermelon are not able to reach the market due to lack of water and closure of borders.
The result is that the income of farmers has fallen badly. In many areas, farmers have lost 80 to 90 percent of their income compared to last year. Due to this the rural economy has completely collapsed.
One out of every three Afghans is hungry
According to the latest data, more than 1.7 crore people in Afghanistan are in a situation of severe food crisis. This means that almost one-third of the country’s population is finding it difficult to get daily food. Among these, women and children are most affected. In the coming months, about 49 lakh women and children will need treatment for malnutrition. The seriousness of the situation can be gauged from the fact that due to the huge cut in international aid, this is the first time that no major global food campaign is being run in Afghanistan in winter.
Lack of funds and help stopping
WFP urgently needs Rs 468 million to provide food to the 6 million most vulnerable people this winter, but currently the organization has received only 12 percent of the funds for the winter. Due to lack of resources, WFP has already had to stop aid to 10 million people. In some areas, a limited amount of food items have been collected before the snowfall, but it is much less than the requirement. As soon as snow falls, the villages in the hilly areas are completely cut off and reaching there becomes impossible for months.
Daughters are being forced to marry at an early age.
Among the families who are not getting food assistance, about 90 percent of the families are resorting to negative and dangerous methods. People have sold their household goods, farming tools and cattle. Children are being taken out of school and sent to work. The most worrying situation is that of women and girls. Many families are forced to marry their daughters at an early age, so that they feel less of a burden and can get some money or ration in return. This social crisis is breaking the Afghan society from within.
Biggest impact on pregnant women and children
Malnutrition cases among pregnant and lactating women have increased by 30 percent compared to last year. This is a clear indication that mothers are trying to feed their children while remaining hungry themselves. But it is not possible to do this for a long time and it affects the health of both mother and child.
In the central and hilly areas of the country, it becomes almost impossible to reach health centers during winter. Many women and children walk for hours to reach the clinic, but upon reaching there they have to return empty handed because the resources for help have been exhausted.
Return of migrants increased pressure
The situation worsened when millions of Afghan migrants were forcibly sent back from Pakistan and Iran. In the last two years, about 48 lakh people have returned to the country, which is about 10 percent of the total population of Afghanistan. The main source of income of these families was money sent from abroad, which has now completely stopped. The sudden return of such a large population has put huge pressure on food, employment and health services.
Access to women, but help limited
Despite this, women continue to have access to most of WFP’s distribution centres. Women come to thousands of centers across the country to receive food aid, especially widows and single mothers. But due to lack of resources, it is not possible to reach every needy. According to the United Nations, without international help, this winter in Afghanistan may prove to be not just a cold season but the toughest test of life for millions of people.
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