Afghanistan is facing a deepening crisis as human rights continue to erode and humanitarian aid funding declines. Briefing the UN Security Council, Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, and Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported that nearly half the population will require protection and humanitarian assistance in 2026. Women and girls remain systematically excluded from almost all aspects of public life, with the ban on secondary and higher education for girls now entering its fourth year, depriving the country of future professionals and leaders. Media freedom is also increasingly restricted, with journalists facing intimidation, detention, and censorship, reducing public debate and civic participation. Both women and men experience daily intrusions under the de facto authorities’ law on the “propagation of virtue and prevention of vice,” reflecting widespread interference in private life.
Humanitarian needs in Afghanistan are surging, with nearly 22 million people expected to require assistance next year, making it one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. For the first time in four years, the number of people facing hunger has increased, with 17.4 million Afghans now food insecure. Funding cuts have left the humanitarian response stretched to breaking point. Over 300 nutrition delivery points have closed, leaving 1.1 million children without lifesaving nutrition and putting 1.7 million children at risk of death without treatment. The health system is also under severe strain, with 422 health facilities closed in 2025, cutting three million people off from essential care.
