Thousands of Afghan Children Orphaned After Quakes as UN and Aid Agencies Urge Urgent Assistance Amid Rising Human Rights Concerns

Thousands of children in eastern Afghanistan have been left orphaned or displaced following a series of powerful earthquakes that devastated Kunar and Nangarhar provinces last month.

In the aftermath of the recent devastating earthquakes that shook Afghanistan, aid groups warn of an escalating humanitarian crisis as winter approaches, according to The Khaama Press and Amu TV.

Save the Children reported that more than 2,000 children have lost one or both parents, with many now dependent on impoverished relatives or struggling alone in makeshift shelters. The organization said immediate aid is needed to prevent starvation, illness, and exposure to harsh winter conditions.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also urged rapid assistance to quake survivors, warning that damaged roads, limited shelter, and poor sanitation are heightening health risks. The agency emphasized that aid delivery must accelerate before temperatures drop, Khaama Press reported.

According to Amu TV, survivors in remote Kunar districts say they have yet to receive consistent relief despite repeated appeals. Many villages remain inaccessible due to landslides and collapsed bridges.

Meanwhile, local officials told Amu TV that over 10,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged, leaving families without shelter as cold weather looms.

According to Yahoo News, the UN Human Rights Council has launched an independent investigation into serious human rights violations in Afghanistan, focusing especially on abuses against women and girls under Taliban rule. The resolution, proposed by the EU and adopted without a vote, aims to collect and preserve evidence of international crimes and facilitate future criminal proceedings. Since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, repression has intensified, with severe restrictions on women’s rights including bans on education beyond age 12 and limitations on movement and work. The resolution condemns the Taliban’s institutionalized discrimination and exclusion of women. While most council members supported the probe, China dissociated itself, citing positive developments in Afghanistan. Human Rights Watch welcomed the investigation as a step toward holding perpetrators accountable.