Sweden supports WFP critical nutrition programmes for vulnerable mothers and children in Afghanistan

“This year, in Afghanistan, 1.2 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are suffering from malnutrition while 3.5 million young children are expected to be malnourished, the sharpest surge in malnutrition ever recorded in the country,” said Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director a.i. in Afghanistan. “It is critical to support mothers and their young children to stay healthy and well-nourished, for their own futures and that of their families.”

Last year, WFP supported over 2.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and young children with specialized nutritious food to prevent them from falling into malnutrition. They received ready to use fortified supplementary food, enriched with protein and vitamins, helping them become healthy again. Of those assisted, over 1.5 million were children and nearly 800,000 were Afghan mothers.

WFP is often the last lifeline for women and girls in Afghanistan. Two-thirds of women-headed households cannot afford basic nutrition - a rate nearly 20 percent higher than that of men-headed families. In 2024, WFP reached nearly 12 million people in Afghanistan through all activities, more than half of them were women and girls.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) has been a steadfast partner in supporting WFP operations in Afghanistan. Between 2021 and 2024, SIDA’s contributions exceeded US$30 million, ranking among WFP’s top ten donors in the country in 2025.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

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