Despite recent news coverage highlighting
the destruction of ancient cultural treasures, the real disaster in Afghanistan
is humanitarian. Some 12 million people are suffering the combined effects
of severe drought and ongoing civil conflict, with up to 1 million facing
starvation. The crisis is acute - but UNICEF Afghanistan is working to
protect children and women.
Little food
Following a second consecutive year of winter rain failure, Afghans are experiencing the most serious drought in over 30 years. Because Afghanistan normally does not have summer rains, the next chance for a normal crop will be June 2001 at the earliest.
Displacement
Since the summer of 2000, as a result of the conflict and drought, over 500,000 Afghans have moved from their homes to other areas. (Over 300,000 people are estimated to be internally displaced as a result of the drought and over 200,000 because of conflict.)
Afghanistan is facing a serious humanitarian crisis; more serious than it has been witness to in the past. Children and women are particularly vulnerable, especially in view of the various restrictions on women's work and movement. The real challenge is to reach children and women within the family in spite of the restrictions and to ensure that their needs are understood and addressed.
UNICEF is seeking $3.8 million from the international community on an emergency basis to help provide:
- vaccination campaigns
- vitamin A supplementation
- essential drugs
- control of diarrhoeal diseases and acute respiratory infections
- special care for pregnant women
- nutrition surveillance and therapeutic feeding for malnourished children
- construction of wells, hand pumps, latrines and bathhouses
- emergency education for children in camps
These funds are in addition to the $1.3 million UNICEF spent over the last six months to provide emergency relief and support to Afghan children and women facing hunger, cold, disease and displacement.
For more information, visit the UNICEF website at http://www.unicef.org