Children and families in Afghanistan are facing a complex humanitarian crisis. Decades of conflict, chronic poverty, recurrent natural disasters, and large-scale returns of refugees have left millions struggling to access food, healthcare, education, and livelihoods.
Some 21.9 million people are expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026, according to the United Nations. During the 2025-2026 lean season, more than one-third of Afghanistan’s population will face crisis-level or worse food insecurity,
Afghanistan crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help
Explore facts about Afghanistan and frequently asked questions about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and learn how to help Afghan children and their families.
- Fast facts: Afghanistan crisis
- What’s the current humanitarian situation in Afghanistan?
- What’s the latest on earthquakes in Afghanistan?
- What are the reasons behind Afghanistan’s hunger crisis?
- In what ways are Afghan children impacted by the crisis?
- How is the crisis impacting Afghan girls and women specifically?
- Where is World Vision working in Afghanistan?
- How many people has World Vision supported in Afghanistan?
- How can I help Afghan children and their families?
Fast facts: Afghanistan crisis
- Afghanistan is currently facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, worsened by two devastating earthquake events in 2022 and 2023.
- Approximately 21.9 million people in Afghanistan require urgent humanitarian assistance in 2026.
- The landlocked country has been entangled in conflict, drought, extreme poverty, and natural disasters.
- At the end of 2025, there were approximately 3.7 million Afghan refugees and others in need of international protection outside the country.
- Child malnutrition has also reached critical levels, with 3.7 million children projected to need treatment in 2026.
What’s the current humanitarian situation in Afghanistan?
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains severe. Widespread poverty, economic challenges, and limited access to services have left millions of people struggling to meet basic needs. The country’s health system is severely strained, and many communities lack access to adequate healthcare, clean water, and education.
Food insecurity and malnutrition are widespread, particularly among children. At the same time, drought and flooding continue to erode livelihoods, especially for rural families who depend on agriculture.
Women and girls are particularly impacted, facing restrictions on education and employment, which has led to increased child marriage, adolescent childbearing, and mental health issues.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest displacement crises. Millions of Afghans have been forced from their homes by conflict, economic hardship, natural disasters, and insecurity. In 2025, nearly 2.9 million Afghans returned from neighboring countries, often under difficult circumstances and to communities already struggling with limited resources, services, and economic opportunities
.
What’s the latest on earthquakes in Afghanistan?
On August 31, 2025, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar Province, further devastating communities already facing years of conflict, hunger, and previous disasters. Early reports indicate that the quake caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure, with casualties and injuries still being assessed. The death toll has surpassed 1,400.
This quake followed a series of deadly earthquakes in 2022 and 2023, including the October 2023 6.3 magnitude quake that killed 2,000 people in Herat Province. Earthquakes of this scale highlight Afghanistan’s vulnerability to natural disasters and the urgent need for humanitarian support.
World Vision responded by working with local partners to provide emergency assistance, including food, water, shelter, and child protection services.
What are the reasons behind Afghanistan’s hunger crisis?
The hunger crisis in Afghanistan is driven by a combination of factors, including economic collapse, ongoing conflict, natural disasters, and displacement. Decades of conflict have disrupted agricultural production and displaced millions of people, while natural disasters like droughts and floods have further reduced food availability. Rising food prices and poor access to humanitarian aid have worsened the situation, leaving millions, especially children and vulnerable communities, facing severe hunger and malnutrition.
In what ways are Afghan children impacted by the crisis?
World Vision cares deeply about the needs and rights of children in Afghanistan, and we’re very concerned about their situation. Today, 12.3 million children need lifesaving aid in Afghanistan, according to the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF). And 41% of Afghan children suffer from stunting — being small for their age — a common and largely irreversible effect of malnutrition. This places Afghanistan among the countries with the highest rates of malnutrition for children under 5. Drought and displacement caused by recent conflict have made conditions worse.
Without peace and humanitarian access, Afghanistan’s children are at significant risk of violence, neglect, abuse, exploitation, starvation, and worsening malnutrition. Situations like child marriage, child labor, family separation, and mass displacements — as families leave in search of food — are all likely to worsen. Already, parents in the most desperate situations are making the unimaginable decision to sell one daughter for dowry money so they can buy food for all their children.
How is the humanitarian crisis affecting Afghan girls and women specifically?
Restrictions on education and employment for women and girls have led to increased rates of child marriage, adolescent childbearing, and mental health issues. The lack of opportunities and rights for women significantly contributes to the overall humanitarian crisis.
World Vision is also deeply concerned by the limitations placed on girls’ and women’s access to education. Education is a fundamental right, including for adolescent girls and women. World Vision calls on the international community to make girls’ and women’s access to education a key priority in their engagement in Afghanistan. The safety and well-being of our staff and the people we serve are our priority.
Where is World Vision working in Afghanistan?
In addition to the earthquake-devastated communities in Herat, we’re also serving children and families in the northwestern provinces of Badghis, Faryab, and Ghor — over 4,184 villages combined. Through our long-standing partnership with local community leaders in Afghanistan for many years, we’ve been able to respond to crises and equip these communities to create positive, sustainable change.
How many people has World Vision supported in Afghanistan?
World Vision has supported millions of people with lifesaving aid across Afghanistan. Our efforts delivered food, cash, and livelihood assistance, ensured access to clean water and hygiene services, supported education, and extended vital protection programs. Working across Herat, Badghis, Faryab, and Ghor provinces in the western region of Afghanistan, we delivered critical assistance to over 1.1 million people, nearly half of them children, in 2025.
These achievements were made possible through the generosity of our donors and the unwavering dedication of our staff. Together, we have positively impacted the lives of Afghan children, their families, and their communities, offering hope and support in challenging times.
How can I help Afghan children and their families?
- Raise your voice: Join us in calling on Congress to help vulnerable, displaced Afghan families with basic needs and services through organizations committed to staying in Afghanistan — like World Vision.
- Give: World Vision is committed to serving the people of Afghanistan for the long term. Your gift will help deliver essential aid to vulnerable children and families.
