Aid Declines as Poverty and Unemployment Surge in the Shia Community in Afghanistan’s Bamyan

Aid Declines as Poverty and Unemployment Surge in the Shia Community in Afghanistan’s Bamyan
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Poverty and unemployment in Afghanistan’s predominantly Shia province of Bamyan have reached alarming levels, with many families now struggling to secure even basic daily meals.

According to Shia Waves Agency, local officials say humanitarian assistance to the region has dropped by roughly 30 percent in recent months. The decline in aid has placed additional strain on vulnerable households already facing severe economic hardship.

Residents of Bamyan—most of whom belong to the Hazara community—report a sharp lack of job opportunities, falling incomes, and growing dependence on external assistance for survival. Community members warn that without an urgent increase in support and sustainable employment initiatives, living conditions may deteriorate even further as winter approaches.

Local authorities have appealed to aid organizations and international partners to restore and expand their assistance programs, stressing that the ongoing reduction in aid threatens to deepen food insecurity and widen the humanitarian crisis across the province.