The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that millions of children in Afghanistan face risks posed by climate change.
The organization reported on Thursday, October 22, that Afghanistan ranks first among South Asian countries in terms of children’s vulnerability to climate change.
UNICEF added that millions of children in Afghanistan are simultaneously exposed to at least three climate-related hazards, including droughts, floods and heatwaves.
Wildfires and sand and dust storms are also among the hazards threatening children.
UNICEF added that these events disrupt children’s access to essential services, including safe drinking water, healthcare and sanitation facilities.
Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, said access to safe water is one of the most urgent ways to protect children’s health, dignity and future amid the climate crisis.
