UNAMA: 1.5 Million Afghans Live With Significant Disabilities
Tawazon –The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) says that nearly 1.5 million people in Afghanistan are living with significant disabilities, many of them resulting from decades of conflict.
December 3 is marked wworldwide as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In a statement, UNAMA said: “On this Disability Day, we honour their courage and call for an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable Afghanistan for all.”
On the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, UNAMA stressed that children bear a particularly heavy burden, as many have been left with lifelong disabilities caused by war related injuries.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has faced severe economic and social collapse. The crisis has further strained the lives of people with disabilities, who already struggle with limited services, social exclusion and rising poverty.
Human rights organizations warn that without increased support, people with disabilities, especially children will continue to face disproportionate challenges in accessing healthcare, educaton and livelihood opportunities.