The UK has announced emergency funding to support families affected by the devastating earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan, killing over 800 people and injuring thousands. This funding aims to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, including essential healthcare, with a special focus on women. The UK’s response underscores its longstanding commitment to the Afghan people during this crisis.
The £1 million emergency fund will be divided equally between the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Red Cross (IFRC). These organizations will deliver critical healthcare and emergency supplies to the hardest-hit areas, ensuring aid reaches those in need while preventing it from falling into the hands of the Taliban. The support includes mobile health teams, emergency medical kits, dignity kits, and shelters for displaced families, with UNFPA also offering maternal healthcare and psychological support in Kunar province.
In addition, the IFRC will mobilize local volunteers for search and rescue operations and deploy ambulances to transport the wounded to health centers. Access to many affected areas remains difficult due to mountainous terrain and recent flooding, exacerbating Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis where over 23 million people require assistance.
This emergency response builds on the UK’s broader humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, which saw an allocation of £171 million in 2024-2025 to support the country’s most vulnerable, especially women and girls. In that period, UK aid helped more than 2.7 million people with essential services such as water, sanitation, food, nutrition, health, and cash transfers, with women and girls representing a significant portion of the beneficiaries. The UK continues to work with international partners to promote stability, human rights, and security in Afghanistan and globally.
