Afghanistan has faced long-term, simultaneous crises for decades. Its recent drop from number one on the 2023 Watchlist does not signal improvement. Rather, the severity of the situation in East Africa has simply surpassed that of Afghanistan. Beyond monitoring data, the primary focus of welfare programs in Afghanistan is to meet the humanitarian needs of each citizen in areas aligned with the program’s mission. In Afghanistan, 3,001 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)—including 2,753 local and 248 international—with 3,544 associations, actively work to bridge gaps in funding, human resources and technical expertise.

Poverty and Food Insecurity in Afghanistan

The Taliban takeover in 2021 increased displacement throughout Afghanistan displacing 3.2 million people from their homes. Most local and international NGOs stopped during that time but still held legal entity status. Samira Sayed Rahman, Afghanistan director of advocacy from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) stated, “Increasing hunger, natural disasters, unemployment, a banking and liquidity crisis, rights-violating restrictions on women and girls and the lack of a functioning economy mean Afghans are facing a multitude of simultaneous crises.”

More than 17 million Afghans face the daily threat of food insecurity.  According to the World Food Program (WFP), Afghanistan is one of the largest global humanitarian crises to exist at the moment.  With a population of 40.8 million people, 28.8 million of Afghanistan’s population needs assistance to alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity.

Causes of Poverty and Food Insecurity

Afghanistan faces multiple challenges contributing to 40% of its population facing food insecurity. These include a crumbling economy, recent floods, isolation, frequent earthquakes, recurring droughts, the impact of COVID-19, soaring food prices, the spread of illness, a water crisis and limited employment opportunities. Currently, international aid organizations subsidize more than 75% of Afghanistan’s public spending. Moreover, Afghanistan’s central bank funds remain frozen because the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has not agreed to the conditions proposed by the Alliance for Human Rights in Afghanistan.

During the Taliban takeover in 2021, the Taliban effectively infiltrated most U.N.-managed programs. In response, several human rights organizations convened in March 2022 and established the Alliance for Human Rights in Afghanistan. This alliance now helps these organizations monitor the dire human rights situation in Afghanistan.

Welfare Organizations in Afghanistan

The people of Afghanistan need long-term sustainable solutions. Due to Afghanistan’s long-term economic crisis, it is difficult to assess the long-term impact each organization has had. However, here are a few key organizations with active welfare programs in Afghanistan:

• The Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE). CARE has been providing humanitarian support in Afghanistan for more than 35 years. CARE International’s mission is to restore dignity and security, save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. It is one of the leading humanitarian international NGOs in Afghanistan fighting poverty and providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable Afghans. CARE allocates 90% of its expenses to program services. In Afghanistan, CARE has developed impactful programs for vulnerable women and girls who need access to essential services. In addition, it supports multiple areas through these welfare programs, including humanitarian action, resilience, education and health equity and rights.
• The International Rescue Committee (IRC). The IRC has provided support in Afghanistan for about 36 years. It has 5,002 staff members in Afghanistan and 99% are Afghans. Its mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control over their future.
• Food for Peace (FFP). The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) office of FFP supports the United Nations (U.N.) World Food Program (WFP) has provided support in Afghanistan for more than 60 years to reach vulnerable communities affected by the humanitarian crises. The WFP is committed to staying the course in Afghanistan as long as it is possible to deliver assistance to the Afghan people while ensuring the safety of its staff. Support from WFP and FFP includes regionally sourced in-kind food aid and cash transfers for food to vulnerable and drought-affected Afghans. Considering the catastrophic situation in Afghanistan, the WFP urgently needs $670 million between Jan. to June 2024 to be able to provide lifesaving support to vulnerable people in Afghanistan.                                           

Looking Ahead

Organizations and welfare programs in Afghanistan, including the Organization of Human Welfare (OHW), continue to serve states by stabilizing livelihoods and promoting resilience. Its effectiveness and impact depend on economic growth and change. Moreover, by providing education and training, multiple welfare organizations aim to shift the focus of the Afghan people from crisis to growth, reduce poverty and decrease their dependency on international aid in the future.

– Pamela Fenton

Pamela is based in Wall, New Jersey, USA and focuses on Global Health and World News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash