RASC News Agency: The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has announced that it is currently facing one of the most difficult periods in its 22 years of operations in Afghanistan. Pointing to a sharp decline in international humanitarian aid, the organization has urgently appealed to the global community to intervene in order to avert a deepening humanitarian catastrophe. The NRC had previously warned that the significant reduction in funding has compelled the organization to close several of its field offices across the country and terminate the contracts of numerous staff members. This widespread contraction of humanitarian assistance is not limited to the NRC; numerous aid agencies have been forced to scale back essential life-saving support for Afghanistan’s most impoverished and vulnerable communities.
In a recent report, the NRC highlighted a dramatic increase in poverty levels across western Afghanistan, noting that thousands of individuals are migrating to Iran each day in search of employment and a more stable life. Simultaneously, thousands of Afghanistanistani migrants are being deported from Iran, often returning to dire conditions. The report states that many displaced families have taken refuge in makeshift settlements on the outskirts of urban centers, describing life in these areas as akin to “surviving amidst the rubble.”
The organization further warned that returnees face a host of challenges, including widespread unemployment, lack of access to education, and continued human rights violations. The NRC also underscored the critical shortage of female humanitarian workers, noting that their absence significantly limits women’s and children’s access to vital services and deepens existing gender-based vulnerabilities.
Despite these mounting challenges, the Norwegian Refugee Council reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to continue operations in Afghanistan. The organization pledged to sustain its support for displaced women, men, and children, and to remain on the frontlines of humanitarian response in the count
ry.
