Afghanistan poverty crisis deepens as aid cuts leave mothers unable to feed children
Afghanistan's poverty crisis deepens as foreign aid has fallen by over 70%, forcing mothers to choose which child to feed and leaving 28 million unable to meet basic needs.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Afghanistan is in the grip of a poverty crisis that is tearing through its generations. Half of the population relies on foreign aid to survive, but since the Taliban returned to power five years ago, that aid has fallen by more than 70%. The result is visible across society, from crowded neonatal units to families unable to afford food and medicine.
In a village outside Kabul, ITV News spoke to Zainab, a mother whose six-month-old daughter, Hasanat, is dangerously malnourished and anaemic. Zainab used to work for Save the Children but lost her job after the Taliban takeover. She told reporters that she and her daughter had returned home after five days in hospital, but doctors said she should have stayed for three weeks. She had no money for medication. "When I could work, I taught children and had an income. There was foreign aid and government assistance and I was able to help save people's children. Now I have nothing to save my own child," she said.
Zainab's family receives support from local charities, but aid is scarce. At a UNICEF nutrition centre in Kabul, screening and treatment for malnutrition continue, but clinics are constantly closing because of funding cuts. A worker at the centre called on the international community not to forget the children. "The children here have nothing to do with any kind of political situation. They are suffering and they need our help," she said.
The crisis is compounded by broader economic collapse. Unemployment has doubled since 2021, and most women have been forced out of work. An estimated 28 million people, three in every four Afghans, are unable to meet their most basic needs, and 80% of households are in debt. Families are also returning from Pakistan and Iran, often to nothing. One mother, Parveen, described her misery as her brother is out of work and the family has no way to get food.
The impact on children is severe. Some are so malnourished that they need hospital care, but parents cannot afford it. Mothers describe having to choose which child to feed and whether to pay rent or buy food. The generation growing up now faces an uncertain future, with little hope in the present.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| 28 million Afghans, three in every four, are unable to meet their most basic needs. | |
| 80% of all households in Afghanistan are in debt. | |
| Foreign aid to Afghanistan has decreased by more than 70% since the Taliban takeover five years ago. | |
| Half of Afghanistan's population depends on foreign aid. | |
| Unemployment in Afghanistan has doubled since 2021. | |
| Zainab lost her job with Save the Children after the Taliban took over. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This broadcast leads with the human impact, using Zainab's story to show how aid cuts are forcing mothers to make impossible choices between feeding their children and paying rent. It highlights the work of local charities and UNICEF, and appeals directly to the international community. The report includes a warning about distressing images.
- “When I could work, I taught children and had an income. There was foreign aid and government assistance and I was able to help save people's children. Now I have nothing to save my own child.”
- “The children here have nothing to do with any kind of political situation. They are suffering and they need our help and we are urging the international community to please not forget the children in Afghanistan.”
This longer bulletin broadens the story to the scale of the crisis, citing statistics on unemployment, household debt, and the number of people unable to meet basic needs. It also adds the issue of Afghans returning from Pakistan and Iran, compounding the pressure. The report ends with a preview of a forthcoming piece on women and girls.
- “28 million people, that's three in every four Afghans, are unable to meet their most basic needs.”
- “This generation of Afghanistan's children are growing up in a country no longer at risk. Yet they face their own battles for survival, with little hope in their present or for their futures.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.