Hunger, child labor and forced marriages deprive Afghan children of their childhood, as documented in the Laut World Vision report.
A year after the Taliban took power, more than half of all children in Afghanistan are malnourished. Hunger, child labor and forced marriages are threatening Afghan children, aid organization World Vision said in a broadcast on Friday and called for immediate help from the international community. On Thursday, the NGO Save the Children warned of a “child rights catastrophe”.
For the report “Afghanistan: A Children’s Crisis”, World Vision asked 800 parents, caregivers and their children how their lives had changed since the political upheavals. The study showed that the average household income in the surveyed areas was less than one dollar (US$0.95) a day and that 53% of children were currently malnourished.
Parents and caregivers face a “devastating situation,” said Asuntha Charles, director of World Vision Afghanistan. “They have to send their children to work or arrange child marriages to ensure their survival. This is a choice parents should never make,” said Asuntha Charles, director of World Vision Afghanistan. “We must not forget these children. Like all other children, they too must have the opportunity to learn, play and shape their lives”, is her appeal.
Mental health is also at risk
Seven out of ten boys and more than half of girls need to work instead of going to school, according to the report. According to World Vision, 57% of parents or guardians said their children could no longer attend classes. “Children’s mental health is also at risk due to changes in the country. 66% of parents said that their children are depressed and distressed”, underlined Charles.
The report also found that there are regressions in childbirth and child health services. World Vision has warned that infant mortality and the risk of dying in childbirth could rise again. The number of home births is 64%. Only a third of all children are born with professional help.
(APA)