Afghan

Afghan children (file photo)

UN envoy on children and armed conflict kicks off visit to Afghanistan

20 February 2010
A senior United Nations official today began a visit to Afghanistan to look into the situation of war-affected children, in particular the recruitment of child soldiers.
Robert Watkins, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan

Humanitarian actors need urgent funding to aid Afghans, says UN official

17 February 2010
A senior United Nations official today appealed for support for a nearly $900 million plan to assist Afghanistan’s most vulnerable communities who have been affected by natural disasters and conflict, as well as to support longer-term development and reconstruction.
Child being vaccinated against Polio in Afghanistan

Polio the target of UN-backed vaccination scheme in Afghanistan and Pakistan

15 February 2010
Millions of Afghan and Pakistani children will receive polio vaccinations this week as part of a coordinated effort by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN political mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to tackle the spread of the deadly disease.

UN officials warn of threat to aid as fighting steps up in southern Afghanistan

15 February 2010
United Nations officials in Afghanistan have called on combatants to the current fighting between Afghan and NATO forces and Taliban militants in the south of the country to respect the neutrality of humanitarian workers and to allow the provision of aid to civilians displaced by the conflict.
Poppy field

Opium production in Afghanistan may fall in 2010, UN reports

10 February 2010
The cultivation of opium – raw material for the world's deadliest drug, heroin – in Afghanistan could drop this year, the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said today, as bad weather is forecast during the country's current growing season.
Women waiting to vote in Afghanistan (file)

Any pact with Taliban must guarantee rights of Afghan women – UN panel

5 February 2010
Any agreement between the Afghan Government and the Taliban should include a clear commitment to protect women’s human rights, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women said today.

Security Council backs international strategy for Afghanistan

5 February 2010
The Security Council today welcomed the communiqué from the recent international conference on Afghanistan, saying it set a clear agenda and agreed priorities for peace and security in the country, and was underpinned by a comprehensive strategy for the Government in Kabul.
WFP distributes food to an average 3.7 million Afghan people yearly, primarily in remote, rural areas

Attacks halt UN food agency’s deliveries in north-western Afghanistan

2 February 2010
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has temporarily suspended deliveries in part of a province in north-western Afghanistan after a convoy was attacked over the weekend, resulting in the loss of over 100 metric tons of food aid.
Landmine clearning

Afghan farmers and villagers help rid communities of landmines – UN

1 February 2010
Farmers and villagers are taking part in United Nations-backed efforts to rid Afghanistan of landmines, which is also providing a much-needed boost to their incomes.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meets with President Hamid Karzai at London conference

International support for Afghanistan must go beyond security needs – Ban

28 January 2010
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for a coherent political strategy to assist Afghanistan in its quest for peace, security and development, noting that the country’s challenges cannot be overcome by military efforts alone.