Save the Children Committed to Protecting Children in Afghanistan

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (August 17, 2021) – Save the Children has expressed grave concern for the safety and wellbeing of children in Afghanistan, including an estimated 75,000 children who have had to flee their homes in the past month, and said it remained committed to staying in the country and was working to resume programmes as soon as possible to protect the future of children.

Christopher Nyamandi, Country Director of Save the Children Afghanistan, said:

“There has never been a more important time to affirm our dedication to the Afghan people and our commitment to stay and deliver. Save the Children Afghanistan will not abandon our work, staff or the communities we have served since 1976, our commitment remains unchanged.

"Before the current escalation of violence and mass displacement, the humanitarian situation for children in Afghanistan was already dire, not only due to the ongoing conflict but also due to drought and the fallout from COVID-19. Now we're seeing even more children going hungry, and thousands more children living outside in the open without food or medical care.

“While at present, we have had to suspend the vast majority of our services because of the active conflict and instability of the situation, we will resume our work as soon as it is safe to do so.

“In order to resume our activities, we urge all parties to the conflict to put an end to the violence, protect humanitarian access and uphold international humanitarian law. Afghan children deserve a future free violence and a home protected from conflict.”

Save the Children is an independent, impartial and politically neutral organization that has worked in Afghanistan since 1976 to deliver lifesaving services to children and their families across the country but has had to temporarily suspended services. The organization provided health, education, child protection, nutrition and livelihoods services, reaching over 1.6 million Afghans in 2020. 

We aim to resume our work on health, education and child protection as soon as it’s safe to do so with particular concern about rising levels of hunger caused by drought and displacement.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.