Decades of war, conflict, and economic hardship have plunged millions of Afghans into extreme poverty and food insecurity. Among the most vulnerable are infants, who face alarming rates of acute malnutrition. The shortage of professional medical services, combined with rising costs and limited humanitarian aid, leaves many families unable to access lifesaving treatment.
Combatting Infant Malnutrition with Breastfeeding
Action Against Hunger staff meet mothers every day who are desperate to get care for their babies — and the malnutrition situation in Afghanistan is only deteriorating.
The key to reducing malnutrition in infants is to promote exclusive breastfeeding for children under six months. According to the World Health Organization, breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year. Additionally, breastfeeding can help protect babies against short-and long-term illnesses and diseases.
However, data collected by our teams shows that in 2024, about 85% of all children admitted to our therapeutic feeding units for treatment of severe acute malnutrition with complications were under 24 months old. This means most complicated cases occur during infancy, when children should be protected from developing malnutrition through the nutrients they receive via breastfeeding. The fact that infants are overrepresented in complicated cases is an indicator that malnutrition is rising among the general population, including mothers — who then face challenges producing breastmilk.
Barriers to Breastfeeding in Afghanistan
Action Against Hunger has identified four significant barriers to exclusive breastfeeding for children under six months in Afghanistan. All these constraints mean that mothers in Afghanistan may face challenges properly feeding their young children.
1. Financial Constraints and Labor
Economic hardships leave many families unable to provide enough food to make sure no one needs to go hungry. As mothers usually leave more food for their children, they are often the ones with the least food intake within their households, which can lead to malnutrition. In addition, mothers living in rural areas are often busy with heavy physical work like agriculture and farming, impeding their ability to breastfeed their children.
2. Lack of Access to Healthcare
Poor coverage of health facilities across Afghanistan contributes to issues in treating babies when they are suffering malnutrition. In fact, 10 million people in Afghanistan live more than a one-hour walking distance away from the nearest health facility. Walking for one hour or more may be impossible for those who are ill or weak. This is made worse in the winter, when high snowfall impedes access. Without public transport or proper road conditions, health facilities can be too far out of reach for some families.
Additionally, women are only allowed travel outside of their homes when accompanied by an immediate male relative, called a “mahram”. If a mahram is not available, for example because they are working, then mothers cannot bring their children to health facilities.
3. Barriers to Women’s Education and Healthcare Professionals
Education bans on women in Afghanistan have resulted in fewer female nurses, midwives, and doctors available to counsel female patients. This hinders the spread of information about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding techniques.
With fewer public spaces are available for women, there are less opportunities for them to learn about family planning, reproductive rights, and professional childcare. Women depend on the knowledge available in their immediate family. However, some have reported not knowing anyone in their immediate community they could ask for guidance.
4. Misinformation about Breastfeeding
Misinformation about breastfeeding is prevalent. Traditional beliefs sometimes discourage mothers from exclusive breastfeeding, and older members of the community often advise mothers to feed their baby with honey or butter.
The reasoning behind this advice varies. Some communities believe that clostrum (the first form of breastmilk released after giving birth) is impure and harmful to the baby, while others believe that a mother’s milk is not sufficient for nourishing the child. Companies promoting formula milks often reiterate the latter piece of misinformation. It is a growing concern for our teams, who have observed increasing numbers of middle-class and educated families using formula milk.
Community Efforts to Fight Malnutrition
Action Against Hunger has been working with communities in Afghanistan to fight malnutrition since 1979. Our teams manage seven Therapeutic Feeding Units and support 40 health centers across the country. In each of Action Against Hunger’s clinics, teams provide screening services for all children and medical treatment for all cases found to suffer from moderate or severe acute malnutrition, providing essential, lifesaving care.
Our teams’ work also extends to community education services:
- Clinics are equipped with child-friendly spaces with painted walls, cushions to sit on, and a variety of toys for children to choose from
- Teams provide health education on optimal breastfeeding practices for caregivers
- Educational sessions cover practices such as bathing, massaging, and proper breastfeeding techniques
- A private consultation room is available for mothers to talk to nutrition and psychosocial counsellors
- Awareness is raised among community elders on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for children, facilitating the spread of knowledge amongst the community that will be self-perpetuated in the long term.
With these services, information on the best practices to support breastfeeding and prevent malnutrition become more accessible to communities, helping ensure mothers and babies have the resources they need to thrive.
***
Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.
