UK Pledges £8 Million to Tackle Child Malnutrition in Afghanistan

UNICEF says the UK has committed £8 million to support a joint programme aimed at reducing severe child malnutrition across Afghanistan.

UNICEF announced on Wednesday, January 21 that the British government will provide £8 million in funding to the agency, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme to address rising child malnutrition in Afghanistan.

The agency said that the funding will be channelled through the “First Foods Afghanistan” initiative, designed to improve access to safe, affordable and diverse complementary foods for children aged six to 23 months.

Under the programme, more than 150,000 children under the age of two are expected to benefit directly, while over 640,000 caregivers and community members will benefit indirectly.

Afghanistan has faced a deepening economic crisis in recent years, with widespread poverty and reduced access to nutritious food, leaving young children among the most vulnerable groups.

Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly warned that the lack of appropriate complementary foods during the first two years of life can cause long-term damage to children’s physical and cognitive development.

Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, said a very large number of children are being pushed towards malnutrition, with nearly 80 percent of affected children under the age of two, a critical stage for growth alongside breastfeeding.

He thanked the UK for its support, saying the funding will help UNICEF and partner organisations strengthen systems that improve complementary foods for children and mothers.

The assistance comes as the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report projects that in 2026 nearly 3.7 million children under five and 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in Afghanistan will suffer from acute malnutrition.

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