Child labor, recruitment saw dramatic rise in Afghanistan in 2024

International human rights reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of children continue to pay a devastating price for armed conflict and insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa region. While the UNICEF confirmed that the impact of armed conflicts on children reached devastating levels in 2024.

Children in Afghanistan are no exception. Human rights groups confirm that children’s humanitarian situation has continued to deteriorate since Taliban returned to power in 2021, citing declining economy and insecurity as key reasons.

The U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report said that the Taliban and other armed groups recruit and use children in combat and support roles, adding the these groups often recruit children through coercion, fraud, and false promises. 

Child labor also saw a dramatic rise in Afghanistan in 2024. Save the Children reported that child labor in Afghanistan increased by 38% during 2024 compared to 2023. Since the Taliban takeover, poverty and unemployment have soared, leaving over 24 million Afghans facing hunger.