Aid agencies sound the alarm as Israel's Gaza blockade enters a second month    Asian markets plunge as Trump's global tariff turmoil deepens    Trump's crackdown on university protests is casting a long shadow    Le Pen vows to fight conviction but large-scale protests fail to materialize    Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



'No way out' for imperiled Afghans, broader international response needed
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 20 - 08 - 2021

UN humanitarian agencies and their partners reiterated their commitment to the people of Afghanistan on Friday, informing that despite a prevailing "sense of fear", they are still accessing people in need across the country.
"UNHCR remains concerned about the risk of human rights violations against civilians in this evolving context, including for women and girls," said spokesperson Shabia Mantoo from the UN refugee agency.
"As of today, those who may be in danger have no way out. UNHCR is calling on countries neighboring Afghanistan to keep their borders open in light of the evolving crisis in Afghanistan."
Highlighting video footage taken earlier this week showing crowds outside Kabul airport and men clinging in desperation to departing airplanes on the runway, the UNHCR official warned that the Afghans who could not get away should not be forgotten.
Humanitarian priorities
Addressing questions about humanitarian aid access constraints, the UNHCR official explained that around 200 national and international staff "remain on the ground" in Afghanistan, where they work with 18 local non-government partners employing around 900 staff throughout the country.
"At present, we are able to access all provinces, and are working in some two-thirds of all districts", Mantoo said. "Together with the wider UN country team, we are committed to staying and delivering aid to the Afghan people for as long as we have access to populations in need and can ensure safety for our staff."
The UNHCR official added that the agency was not involved in State-led evacuation operations, which although welcome, did not address the plight of many millions of Afghans.
"These evacuations are lifesaving, they're critical, they're needed," said Mantoo. "But they are bilateral programs organized with the States so we encourage those, they should continue. But the main message is that a broader international response is needed."
Vital assistance getting through
Since the beginning of this year, UNHCR has provided emergency assistance to 230,000 people in the country, including cash assistance, hygiene support and other relief items.
Needs assessments are also ongoing for some half a million displaced Afghans, 80 percent of whom are women and children.
With 550,000 people displaced inside Afghanistan this year and millions more prior to the chaos linked to the Taliban takeover, UNHCR issued an urgent appeal for $62.8 million to deal with immediate needs. Overall requirements for the Afghanistan situation are $351 million, with funding levels currently at 43 percent.
Security challenge
In a statement on Friday, the World Food Program (WFP) said that despite security and logistics challenges, the agency "maintains access to most of the country including areas experiencing active fighting".
In the first six months of the year, WFP delivered food and nutrition assistance to 5.5 million people, including the newly displaced.
Healthcare protection
Echoing the message of solidarity, UN health agency spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic stressed that the World Health Organization (WHO) was "committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services. We're calling all parties to respect and protect civilians, health workers, patients and health facilities".
The WHO official noted that at the start of 2021, half the population of Afghanistan — including more than four million women and nearly 10 million children — already needed humanitarian assistance.
"One-third of the population was facing crisis and emergency levels of acute food insecurity and more than half of all children under five years of age were malnourished, he said, adding that the current severe drought "is expected to elevate those figures".
Most major health facilities are still functioning, the WHO spokesperson continued, and health workers had been called "to return to, or to remain in their posts, including female health staff".
Environmental threats
Apart from chronic insecurity, some 250,000 Afghans are affected by environmental disasters including floods, droughts, avalanches, landslides and earthquakes.
"The impact of disasters and dependency on water from rain or snowmelt severely limit the productivity of the agricultural sector, which provides a source of income for 44 percent of the population," said Mary-Ellen McGroarty, WFP's country director.
Free press call
In a related development, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay called for the safety of journalists in the country.
"Access to reliable information and open public debate, facilitated by free and independent media, is crucial for Afghans to achieve the peaceful future they deserve," she said.
"No-one should be afraid to say what they think at this critical juncture, and the safety of all journalists, including women, must especially be guaranteed."
At least seven journalists — four of them women — have been killed so far this year, according to UNESCO data.
Over the past 20 years, the agency has developed community media, promoted gender-sensitive reporting and reinforced educational broadcasting.
Most recently, it supported fact-checking networks and media outlets to verify and report on the COVID-19 crisis. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.