Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis Worsens Amid Rising Protection Concerns
A joint report by the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), released on February 7, 2025, paints a dire picture of Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The 20-page document highlights the systematic barriers to education, healthcare, and livelihoods created by the Taliban government, which disproportionately affects women and girls.
According to the report, the ruling regime’s discriminatory laws and policies have exacerbated an already fragile situation in the country.
The report states that women, girls, boys, persons with disabilities, minorities, older persons, youth, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and other at-risk groups are facing severe restrictions on their rights, freedom of movement, and access to public life.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian challenges have been compounded by a combination of factors in the past year, including a shrinking protection space, a fragile economy, limited access to essential services, and the devastating effects of natural disasters, climate-related shocks, and extreme weather events. These ongoing crises continue to prevent the country from recovering from decades of conflict.
The UNHCR-GPC report calls for immediate international intervention, urging the global community to provide critical humanitarian assistance and support to vulnerable populations.
The report stresses the urgent need to address the rights and welfare of at-risk groups to alleviate the suffering and mitigate the deepening isolation in Afghanistan.
