Child friendly spaces

Today is Zahra’s* fourth counselling session. It’s still a long road to recovery, but the 16-year-old has made remarkable progress from the depressed and anxious girl she was a few months ago. News of the March 2022 ban on girls’ secondary education hit Zahra hard. She was sad, isolated, and barely spoke to anyone at home. She could no longer see…, A mental health sanctuary for children, Dr. Hamedi is the only female child psychiatrist in Afghanistan. She says there are many children in a similar situation as Zahra. “The most common causes of depression among adolescent girls who come to the centre are related to restrictions on education, forced marriage, domestic violence, and poverty. For adolescent boys, it is often linked to…, Deferred dreams, Zahra wants to be a doctor, but she doesn’t know if she will ever go back to school. For now, the counselling sessions help her overcome her depression, while her mother and uncle keep her occupied at home with some reading and writing assignments. Every morning, Zahra watches her younger sister go to school, wishing she could join her. But Zahra…, More child psychiatrists, more training required, This centre is the only one of its kind in all of Afghanistan. No other centre offers specialized mental health and psychosocial support for children and young people. UNICEF continues to support this centre with funding through USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and the European Union. For Zahra, the centre is a lifeline. But for…

PAKTIKA & KHOST PROVINCES – You might remember Naghma , Gulaba and Kefayat . They are just three faces of hundreds who lost family members, homes, and possessions in Afghanistan’s devastating earthquake last year. But a lot can change in a year. Hours spent fetching water gave way to time with family. Feelings of isolation were abandoned for…, Naghma, With a bright smile and even brighter blue eyes, surrounded by toys and friends, Naghma radiates with delight. The room around her is alive with giggles and games. Seven-year-old Naghma lost her father in the earthquake last year. Since then, she has found comfort in this child-friendly space, one of 24 which UNICEF established in Paktika and…, Gulaba, “Before this classroom was here, I knew nothing.” Last year, Gulaba and her family lost everything: their home, their livestock, and even Gulaba’s 10-year-old sister, Mah Gul. Gulaba was despondent, with nothing to occupy her mind as she grieved. But this year, Gulaba stands resolute at the front of her new classroom. In Gayan and four other…, Kefayat, 9-year-old Kefayat used to spend his days in the mountains, sometimes wandering aimlessly, sometimes herding goats and picking up sticks for firewood. Nestled between hills, hours away from paved roads, Mir Sapar village is one of the most remote in Khost Province. Last year, after the earthquake shook those hills, UNICEF established new community…

NANGARHAR, AFGHANISTAN – At Afghanistan’s eastern border with Torkham, Pakistan, a small town bustles with trade, business and people looking for opportunity. Colorful cargo trucks, decorated with floral and geometric patterns in blue, green and gold sit parked at the border crossing before slowly rumbling from one country to the next. The trucks…

GAYAN, AFGHANISTAN – “I am here!” Naghma called. “I am afraid!” A few moments prior, Naghma’s house shook violently as a powerful earthquake rippled through her little village. She had been sleeping, but woke up crying and hugged her knees to her chest. She could see nothing in the black night. “I started to cry and felt frozen in place,” she…

When the incessant fighting and insecurity in Kunduz Province became too much, 11-year-old Habiba left everything behind to resettle with her family in Balkh Province. “One day, the fighting was so bad, my father told us to run to the basement. We all hid there until the fighting was over,” recalls Habiba. “I held the hem of my mother’s dress and…

FARYAB PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN – Do you remember walking into a classroom that felt like home? When you have a teacher who nurtures you with passion for her profession and goes the extra mile to make sure you succeed, the lines between home and school blur in all the best ways. With thanks to funding from the European Union, this community-based…

Challenge, Half of Afghanistan’s 30 million people are under 18. They are exposed to extreme situations of violence and abuse due to ongoing fighting, displacement, a poor economy, and harmful social norms and practices. The increased number and frequency of conflict-related incidents has caused an alarming rise in child casualties. Afghan girls face early…, Resources, Reports and Data Education and Healthcare at Risk: Key trends and incidents affecting children’s access to healthcare and education in Afghanistan  (2016) - UNAMA / OHCHR / UNICEF / OCHA  UNAMA reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict Child Notice Afghanistan  (2015) - UNICEF UNICEF Data: Afghanistan    Websites UNICEF global #…, Stopping abuse and exploitation, UNICEF works to strengthen the child protection system, including the legal framework, to protect the most vulnerable children. Transforming social norms and practices UNICEF engages religious and traditional leaders in communities, government, and civil society in nationwide efforts to protect children from practices such as child marriage,…

ETTIFAQ VILLAGE, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, 1 February 2018 — There are more than a thousand families in Ettifaq village in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province, near the border with Pakistan. Many are returnees from Pakistan or internally displaced persons impacted by violence and conflict in neighbouring provinces. A recent influx of new…

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The protracted conflict in Afghanistan has taken a toll on the country’s children, especially in southern provinces like Kandahar where continuous insecurity, stress, and the lack of social activities have impacted children’s physical and psychological well-being Safe Play Areas offer them an oasis of peace and laughter…