SA国际传媒

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

With nearly 10 million children in urgent need of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan amid the increased conflict and insecurity in recent weeks, the UN Children鈥檚 Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern that those least responsible for the crisis are paying the highest price 鈥� including children 鈥� some of them killed in a deadly attack at the Kabul airport on Thursday.

A huge explosion rocked Kabul鈥檚 airport last week as the US and other international troops carried out massive evacuation efforts following the Taliban takeover of the country. Over 150 people were killed in the incident, including 13 US servicemen, and several others were left injured.

UNICEF further highlights the need for humanitarian aid for the country, amid headlines about international donors cutting aid to the country. The humanitarian aid appeal will go to cover a variety of sectors including child protection, sanitation, nutrition, health and education, says Herve Ludovic De Lys, UNICEF鈥檚 Afghanistan representative.

Children affected in the crisis

Against the back of instability and conflict, Herve de Lys notes that there is a 鈥渃hild protection crisis in the country that is already one of the worst places on earth to be a child.鈥�

He spoke of unsettling reports of unaccompanied children across the country, many exposed to grave violations, including some being recruited by armed groups. 

Some other children who live in communities are running out of water because of droughts. Many are extremely malnourished and risk starvation. In addition, they are missing life-saving vaccines, including against polio, a disease that can paralyze them for life.

All of this, De Lys noted, is happening in a year 鈥渋n which more than 550 children have been killed, and more than 1,400 injured.鈥�

Aid for Afghanistan

UNICEF urges aid to support its work in the trouble-ridden country, in order to help the children 鈥渄eprived of their right to a healthy and protected childhood,鈥� de Lys said adding that 鈥渋t is for each and every one of these children that UNICEF is staying鈥� in Afghanistan.

Herve de Lys underlined the importance of cash-based assistance for Afghans in need, noting that cash 鈥済ives people the power to choose what they need the most while maintaining their dignity鈥�, especially as the winter months approach.

He also reiterated the commitment to girls鈥� education, insisting that UNICEF will advocate 鈥渇or all girls in Afghanistan, including those with disabilities, to attend primary and secondary school, and go to university if they choose.鈥�

Calling on all partners, he appealed that they support UNICEF as it prioritizes its scale-up plan which includes providing mobile health clinics; vaccinating babies against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and vaccinating people against COVID-19; treating children who are severely acutely malnourished; delivering water to areas affected by the drought, and distributing hygiene kits; getting children ready for school for the new school term next month, which includes efforts to reach 300,000 children, half of whom are girls.