RASC News Agency: The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has announced a significant reduction in its humanitarian operations in Afghanistani due to a substantial funding shortfall, forcing the closure of several offices across the country. In an official statement, the organization underscored that the decline in international aid has critically diminished the presence of humanitarian agencies in Afghanistani, exacerbating the crisis for millions in need. Suze van Meegen, NRC’s Country Director in Afghanistani, described the situation as “a severe financial crisis” that has left the organization with no choice but to implement “painful and unsustainable service reductions.” She warned that the resulting disruptions pose a dire threat to life-saving support for some of the country’s most vulnerable populations.
She further noted that NRC, like many other humanitarian organizations, has been compelled to shut down operations in multiple provinces, leading to the unfortunate dismissal of highly skilled and dedicated staff members. These cutbacks have had particularly devastating consequences for female employees, further undermining their role in humanitarian response efforts. The funding crisis follows Washington’s decision in January to suspend global humanitarian aid programs, a move that resulted in the abrupt halting of numerous aid initiatives previously backed by U.S. funding. Several other nations, including Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, have also announced plans to scale back their international aid budgets in the coming years.
In its statement, NRC described the current challenges as “the most severe crisis” it has faced in its 22 years of operations in Afghanistani. Despite the setbacks, the organization reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a humanitarian presence in the country, stressing that it remains steadfast in its mission to support displaced Afghanistani women, men, and children who continue to bear the brunt of decades-long conflict. Furthermore, the statement revealed that since January, NRC has already been forced to shut down two critical local resource centers, with an additional two facilities now at imminent risk of closure unless emergency funding is secured. These centers have played a pivotal role in providing housing support, food assistance, legal aid, and medical referrals for internally displaced persons and returning migrants. They have been especially vital for Afghanistani women, many of whom serve as the sole providers for their families and require urgent access to healthcare and essential services.
NRC also issued a stark warning that the loss of female humanitarian workers across Afghanistani will further restrict women’s and children’s access to critical aid, creating alarming conditions that threaten to deprive them of fundamental human rights and essential services.
