Millions of people in Afghanistan still need help

Afghanistan is facing a protracted humanitarian crisis. 21.9 million people – nearly half of the country’s population – need humanitarian assistance. Around 13.8 million people are expected to face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity between April and September 2026.

The situation is being exacerbated by economic hardship, climate shocks and natural disasters, internal displacement and large-scale returns of Afghans from neighbouring countries. At the same time, humanitarian funding is declining. Funding shortages are forcing health facilities to close, putting millions of people at risk of losing access to essential services.

Women and children are particularly affected. Nearly 3.7 million children under the age of five and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to experience acute malnutrition. Restrictions on women’s access to education, employment, freedom of movement and healthcare further compound the crisis.

CARE has worked in Afghanistan since 1961. Together with local partner organisations, we provide maternal and child healthcare, nutrition support, mental health and psychosocial support, food security assistance, livelihood support and education. In 2025, CARE reached approximately 1.2 million people, 67% of whom were women and girls.