KABUL - Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, visited Kunar province this week, where recent earthquakes have devastated communities and left nearly half a million people in urgent need of assistance. Speaking to families affected by the disaster, she underscored the urgency of delivering relief before the harsh Afghan winter deepens their plight.

Otunbayeva, joined in Kunar by senior UN officials including Mutinta Chimuka of WFP and Richard Trenchard of FAO, highlighted the UN’s urgent appeal for resources, reiterating that immediate funding is crucial to sustain humanitarian operations in the weeks ahead.

“The UN is appealing for USD139 million as an urgent priority,” she told reporters. “Without this support, hundreds of thousands of families risk facing the cold season without food or shelter.”

Her visit comes against the backdrop of mounting challenges for aid delivery, including a ban on Afghan women working for the UN to report to work. The restriction, enforced by de facto security forces on 7 September, has already disrupted humanitarian operations. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has suspended cash assistance for Afghans returning from neighbouring countries, saying it cannot interview or register 52 percent of returnees without female staff.

Otunbayeva stressed that women are vital to ensuring assistance reaches those most in need, particularly women and children who have been disproportionately impacted by the earthquakes.

“Afghan women are not only beneficiaries of aid; they are also the backbone of response efforts,” she said. “Their role is critical, and without them, we cannot deliver at the scale required.”

Standing in solidarity with affected communities, the UN envoy urged swift international action, warning that the coming weeks will determine whether families can endure Afghanistan’s harsh winter or face deeper crisis.

(Note: As of 15 September, UNHCR had resumed its cash assistance after a temporary lift by the de facto authorities.)