Minister Brophy announces €2 million to respond to growing humanitarian needs in Afghanistan
Press release
28 September 2021Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy, T.D., today announced an additional €2 million of Irish Aid support for the people of Afghanistan who are experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis.
Announcing the funding, Minister Brophy said:
‘‘I am deeply concerned about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The country is facing a deadly combination of conflict, disease, drought and hunger. Over 18 million people – almost half the population- are in need of humanitarian assistance. One in three Afghans is facing crisis levels of food insecurity and more than half of all children under-five are at risk of acute malnutrition. To respond to this crisis, I have allocated €2 million in additional Irish Aid support’’.
Minister Brophy added:
“The unfolding crisis in Afghanistan has placed extraordinary pressure on humanitarian actors. We thank and applaud the commitment of humanitarians to stay and deliver under the most difficult of circumstances. Funding from Ireland will support them to provide assistance to the most vulnerable’’.
‘’Their work has never been more vital. Humanitarians – male and female – must be protected and supported as they deliver life-saving assistance. Ireland will continue to advocate for unimpeded and safe humanitarian access’’.
The funding will support the vital work of UNICEF and the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund. UNICEF is working to improve the educational, health and nutritional status of affected children, with a particular focus on girls. The UN managed Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund supports NGOs and other humanitarian partners on the ground to provide life-saving assistance such as food, shelter and protection to the most vulnerable women, men and children.
ENDS
Press Office
28 Sept 2021
Notes for Editors:
- Forty years of war, recurrent natural disasters, chronic poverty, drought and the COVID-19 pandemic have devastated the people of Afghanistan. Women and children have been particularly impacted. The events of August 15th and the resulting upheaval has only exacerbated needs and further complicated an extremely challenging operational context.The UN Flash Appeallaunched in September seeks €517 million to provide humanitarian assistance to 11 million people for the remainder of 2021.
- UNICEF is at the forefront of the humanitarian response in Afghanistan. It is present in 13 offices across the country and is in the process of further scaling up operations to respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation. Its mandate means that it is uniquely positioned to respond to the urgent needs of women and children. The UNICEF Humanitarian Action for Children Appeal for Afghanistan seeks €164 million to help keep essential services including health, water and sanitation, nutrition and education afloat.
- Established in 2014 and managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF), enables swift and principled action in response to humanitarian priorities throughout the country. Since its inception, the AHF has allocated €380 million to 488 projects. In August this year it provided rapid funding to best placed partners delivering mobile health programmes, safe drinking water, shelter, gender/based violence prevention and response and reproductive and maternal health care. Approximately 80% of AHF funding is allocated to NGOs.
- At the beginning of 2021 Ireland provided funding of €2 million to Concern Worldwide, HALO Trust and the AFH. In August Minister Brophy announced an additional €1m to UNHCR to respond to needs both within Afghanistan and in neighbouring countries. This funding brings the total of humanitarian funding in Afghanistan in 2021 to €5 million. Ireland also supports the response in Afghanistan through its annual flexible funding to key humanitarian partners and global pooled funds such as the Central Emergency Response Fund.