UN MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN: 'More still needs to be done' says Save the Children
Save the Children is 'encouraged' by the support shown by ministers at today's UN High-Level meeting on Afghanistan, held in Geneva, but said the sustained commitment was needed to save lives.
In a statement from the floor at the meeting, Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children, said that there was "no time to lose" to protect 5.5 million Afghan children at risk of hunger in the coming months. She called on ministers to "act decisively" so that children do not continue to bear the cost of the crisis.
In response to the commitments made at the meeting, Ms. Ashing said:
“It is encouraging to see the international community showing their support for the people of Afghanistan today. The worsening crisis in Afghanistan requires urgent action to save lives, and the collective commitments made today are a positive step in the right direction.
“However, so much more still needs to be done. Afghanistan already has one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, and more than half of the children in the country are dependent on aid to survive. The bottom line is that sustained commitment to the children of Afghanistan is what is needed. Today cannot be a one off. Donor governments must continue to step up their financial support or children's lives will be lost and future generations will continue to bear the cost of this crisis."
To arrange interviews, please contact:
- Natasha Dos Santos, natasha.dossantos@savethechildren.org / +44 (0)7787 191957
- Out of hours (BST), media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44 (0)7831 650409
