Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South Asia comprised of an area of 652,000 square kilometres.3 Population is estimated to be 41.7 million of which 51 percent are men and 49 percent are women4. The country has been in a conflict situation for the last 40 years resulting in hunger, economic crisis, food shortages and rising levels of poverty.

Almost half (47 percent = 19.5 million) the population is below 15 years of age. According to UNICEF, children across the country are affected by rising malnutrition, a food crisis, disruptions to health and nutrition services. Lack of access to and poor quality of water and sanitation and detrimental weather conditions caused by a crippling winter.

Diseases affecting children include measles (with 66,000 children affected), increase the risk of pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI). 25 to 30 percent of deaths of children under 5 are due