The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported that one in four Afghan children aged 5 to 17 suffers from anxiety, while one in seven experiences depression.

In a statement released on Thursday, 9 October, UNICEF said it has organised mental health workshops across Afghanistan for children struggling with anxiety and depression. The agency stressed the urgent need for a national child mental health strategy to address the growing crisis.

UNICEF said it continues to work to ensure that Afghan children have access to healthcare, compassion and hope for the future. Global organisations have repeatedly warned of the deteriorating access to healthcare for women and children in Afghanistan.

The head of the children’s ward at Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar previously told reporters that, due to a shortage of facilities, three children often share one hospital bed, with most suffering from severe malnutrition.

In July, UNICEF also warned that climate change is worsening food insecurity among Afghan children. The agency estimates that more than 875,000 children under the age of five are suffering from acute, life-threatening malnutrition.