Afghanistan

Allocation	$19,966,141
Emergency type	Post-conflict Needs
Window	Underfunded Emergencies
Recipient UN Agencies	UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO
Group(s) of people targeted	Returnees, Other affected persons
Number of people targeted	1,383,626
Status	Under Implementation
Allocation code	CERF-AFG-25-UF-1453
Title	CERF Underfunded Emergencies: Afghanistan 2025 (Post-conflict needs)

Overview of the humanitarian situation

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues to worsen due to protracted conflict, economic collapse, climate challenges, and systemic gender-based restrictions, leaving over half the population—22.9 million people—in need of humanitarian assistance. The response remains critically underfunded, limiting relief efforts. The health system is struggling, with funding shortages causing the closure of 220 health facilities. Access to essential medicines and maternal care is restricted, increasing preventable diseases and maternal mortality. Over 875,000 children and 728,000 women are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition. Water and sanitation conditions are dire, with 21 million people lacking safe water access. This exacerbates disease outbreaks like cholera. Women and girls face exclusion from schools and workplaces, intensifying gender-based violence and economic dependency.

CERF-funded assistance

The RC/HC is using this CERF UFE allocation to safeguard the survival and dignity of women and children (especially girls) in Afghanistan who have been bearing the brunt of the protracted humanitarian crisis combined with systemic restrictions from public services and livelihoods. The CERF allocation complements a $29.5 million allocation of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, launched in March, together targeting districts identified with the greatest needs and response gaps. The CERF allocation funds select interventions to support vulnerable women, adolescent girls and children, through the provision of essential services and protection at family and community levels. The allocation promotes the leadership and technical capacity of national NGOs, including women-led organizations (WLOs), recognizing the vital role they play in providing culturally appropriate solutions for women and girls to access humanitarian assistance. UN agencies are working with these local partners to implement gender-sensitive aid programmes to the most vulnerable women and girls, including in remote areas, while fostering community resilience and structures to support them. This allocation targets approximately 1,4 million people. UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA provides life-saving assistance in the Health, Nutrition, WASH and Protection (GBV) sectors, utilizing cash assistance to the extent feasible. In addition to the regular UFE funding envelope of $19 million, UNICEF, with $1 million from a dedicated thematic funding envelope, are implementing a WASH project to promote climate-smart humanitarian action to enhance crisis-affected communities' adaptive capacity and resilience to future climate shocks and stresses.

Projects included in this allocation

Organization	Project title	Code	Amount in US$
WHO	Provision of lifesaving health services, strengthening disease surveillance and prepositioning of supplies to underserved areas.	CERF-AFG-25-UF-WHO-35413	US$4,985,358	Read more
UNICEF	Procurement and distribution of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for treatment of High-Risk MAM and Extending support to clean water sources in the targeted districts,	CERF-AFG-25-UF-CEF-35414	US$10,199,755	Read more
UNFPA	Addressing the protection needs of women and girls in targeted provinces of Afghanistan	CERF-AFG-25-UF-FPA-35415	US$3,781,028	Read more
UNICEF	Building adaptive capacity and resilience in recurrent drought affected communities through climate smart technology	CERF-AFG-25-UF-CEF-35669	US$1,000,000	Read more