Afghanistan faces acute food insecurity as UN warns of funding shortfall

The United Nations estimates that more than 17 million people in Afghanistan will experience acute food insecurity in 2026, while about 22 million require humanitarian assistance, including food, health care and protection services. Funding for the UN’s 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan has fallen short of 80 %, prompting aid agencies to scale back or suspend food distributions and life‑saving health programmes.

Human Rights Watch notes that the return of over five million Afghan migrants from Pakistan and Iran is adding pressure to already strained communities. Over 10.7 million women and girls are expected to need assistance, and restrictions on women’s movement, education and employment are deepening protection risks. Afghanistan also endures one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, with severe shortages of female health workers, medicines and emergency obstetric care.

These combined factors are driving families into extreme hardship, with many relying on neighbours for basic meals as the humanitarian response struggles to meet demand.