6 million people in Afghanistan face famine risk: UN

With at least 6 million people facing the risk of famine in Afghanistan due to a reeling economic crisis, the deputy executive director of UNICEF, Omar Abid urged the international community not to forget the basic rights of women and children in Afghanistan, as well as to assist them.

The current population of Afghanistan is 41,201,762 as of Monday, February 6, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data.

This comes as Afghanistan's most vulnerable citizens have requested assistance from relief agencies.

Safar Ali is working as a labourer--transporting materials by wheelbarrow in the capital city of Kabul.

"There is no good work now. It was good previously but not now. I can only make 50 Afs per day," he said.

Another Kabul resident, Karim Shah also lamented about his situation and said, "There is no work to do, and nothing to do."

TOLOnews reported citing the economists who stated that a disaster will occur if international institutions do not pay attention to the situation in Afghanistan.

"If serious attention is not paid by the donors to the aid organizations in this regard, we will face a humanitarian catastrophe," said Shakir Yaqobi, an economist, reported TOLOnews.

Unrecognized by most of the international community, the Taliban-led government has committed to disrespecting the human rights and rights of women. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the humanitarian crisis in the country has deepened. People lack basic amenities and are not allowed to speak freely.

Afghan women are staring at a bleak future due to a number of restrictions imposed by the Taliban governing aspects of their lives within 10 months of Afghanistan's takeover.

The UN mission in Afghanistan has expressed concern about the announcement, saying that this decision contradicts numerous assurances regarding respect for and protection of all Afghans' human rights, including those of women and girls. (ANI)