RASC News Agency: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has announced that the government of Japan has extended an additional $1.5 million in financial assistance to Afghanistan. According to the UNFPA, this funding will be directed toward improving maternal and reproductive health, as well as supporting children and youth in the provinces of Kandahar, Faryab, and Nangarhar. This contribution comes at a crucial time when the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has highlighted the urgent need for supplementary funding to sustain humanitarian operations amidst deteriorating conditions and the onset of winter. The UNFPA stressed that this aid arrives at a pivotal moment, as Afghanistan continues to face an escalating and protracted humanitarian crisis.
The UNFPA report underscores that under the “Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025,” more than half of the nation’s population is in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. Among these, approximately 17 million people are in critical need of healthcare services. The one-year project is set to ensure that around 60,000 women, girls, and children under the age of five gain access to essential, life-saving services, including reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare, as well as psychosocial support. The UNFPA noted that in a time when Afghanistani women and girls face unprecedented challenges, this financial support reaffirms its shared commitment to safeguarding their rights and well-being. Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah, the UNFPA Representative, emphasized the organization’s dedication to prioritizing the health, dignity, and welfare of Afghanistan’s people.
Nevertheless, despite the millions of dollars in international aid flowing into Afghanistan each month, pervasive poverty and widespread suffering remain unaddressed. A significant portion of this aid is reportedly misappropriated by the nation’s leaders, military commanders, soldiers, and their families, leaving the broader population mired in hardship and deprivation.
