Afghanistan is currently facing a severe and complex humanitarian crisis, characterized by a continuous stream of emergencies including flash floods, earthquakes, and cross-border hostilities [0][1]. The scale of need is immense, with an estimated 21.9 million to 22 million people requiring assistance [0][17][18]. This vulnerability is exacerbated by massive population movements, including 1.28 million internally displaced persons and 864,438 refugees [HDX]. The situation is further strained by the return of millions of Afghans from neighboring countries, including 1.8 million from Pakistan since April 2025 and over 351,700 deported from Iran in 2026 [0][10][11].
The crisis is compounded by a critical collapse of public services and acute economic instability. Hundreds of rural health clinics have closed due to aid cuts, and millions of children face acute malnutrition [0][17]. Humanitarian efforts are severely hindered by a widening funding gap; while the total required funding is $5.89 billion, only 78.8% has been secured [0][HDX]. Operational constraints, including administrative delays and gender-based restrictions on UN and humanitarian personnel, further limit the reach of life-saving interventions [0][6][21].
Food insecurity has reached critical levels, with 13.8 million people projected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and September 2026 [0][8]. This crisis is driven by significant year-on-year price increases for staples, including potatoes (49%), Sholae rice (35%), and tomatoes (30%) [0][25]. In response, vulnerable families are resorting to negative coping strategies such as reducing food consumption, mounting debt, and distress-selling livestock [8]. To mitigate these effects, the World Food Programme has provided targeted food assistance to 1.3 million primary school children across several provinces, including Farah and Ghor [12]. Additionally, the SFERA contribution is supporting farming households through wheat production, livestock protection, and cash assistance [8].
Nutrition remains a primary concern, as 3.7 million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition [0][14][17]. Many of these children also face high morbidity, with 60.2% experiencing fever, diarrhea, or respiratory illness in the two weeks preceding recent studies [14]. The First Foods Initiative (FFI) is currently addressing this by improving the dietary needs of children under two and pregnant or breastfeeding women, focusing on the affordability and production of nutrient-rich foods like eggs, milk, nuts, and pulses [0][14].
Protection risks are acute, particularly for women and girls. Over 2.6 million girls have been deprived of secondary education, which has increased their vulnerability to child labor, early marriage, and gender-based violence [0][4][16]. The economic disparity is stark, with only 7% of women employed in the labor force compared to 84% of men [16]. Mental health is also a critical issue, with seven in ten surveyed women reporting "bad" or "very bad" mental health [0][22].
For displaced populations and returnees, protection services remain vital. In April 2026, UNHCR provided protection services to 34,731 people, including legal assistance for 4,612 individuals across provinces such as Kabul, Herat, and Kandahar [6]. However, the Protection cluster faces a significant funding shortfall, having received only $32.5M of the required $190.8M [9].
The healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with 445 health facilities closed or suspended as of December 2025, including at least 420 rural clinics shut down due to global aid cuts [17]. The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector is facing the most critical funding gap of all responses, having received only 26% of its required $163.3 million [0][23]. This shortfall severely restricts the scale and geographic reach of WASH interventions, which remain unevenly concentrated in provinces like Balkh and Nuristan [23].
Natural disasters have further strained these systems. Heavy rainfall and flash floods in 2026 affected nearly 88,000 people, with Nuristan being the most severely impacted province [0][15]. These floods destroyed homes, crops, and critical infrastructure, including water networks and roads [15]. Emergency responses included the distribution of 1 metric ton of fortified biscuits to 500 households in Parun and the provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to 1,429 individuals [0][7][12].
The influx of returnees from Pakistan and Iran has created immense pressure on available resources. Since April 2025, 1.8 million Afghans returned from Pakistan, with Nangarhar (28%) and Kabul (22%) being the primary destinations [10]. A staggering 95% of these individuals cited fear of arrest as their primary reason for leaving [10]. From Iran, over 351,700 Afghans were deported in 2026, with minors making up approximately 51-52% of returnees in August [0][11]. UNHCR is providing first-line protection, hot meals, and cash assistance at the Zaranj and Islam Qala border crossings [11]. Meanwhile, some migrants are attempting to leave the region entirely; 96% of those traveling through North Macedonia in Q2 2026 reported traveling exclusively on foot, with 87% relying on smugglers [13].
The most critical trend is the widening gap between humanitarian needs and available funding, particularly in the WASH and Protection sectors [0][1][9][23]. There is a clear correlation between the deprivation of education for 2.6 million girls and an increase in protection risks, including early marriage and child labor [0][4]. Economically, the sharp rise in the cost of staples—specifically potatoes and rice—is driving 13.8 million people toward acute food insecurity [0][8][25]. Additionally, migration patterns are shifting, with a marked increase in the use of smugglers and foot travel through North Macedonia [13]. Finally, the collapse of the rural health infrastructure, evidenced by the closure of over 400 clinics, is creating a systemic void in primary healthcare [17].
There is a critical information gap regarding the specific sectors and regions associated with various targeting and reach data sets, making it difficult to assess the precise geographic distribution of aid [9]. Furthermore, the uneven presence of partners continues to hinder the overall response [0][23].
Based on the evidence, the following actions are recommended:
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