BBC: Poverty in Afghanistan has forced families to sell their children

Elaha Tue May 2026 4 months ago 516

In one heart-wrenching example, Saeed Ahmad, a resident of Ghor, said that due to his five-year-old daughter's serious illnesses and his inability to cover treatment costs, he was forced to sell her to a relative for 200,000 afghanis. He stated that the money was used for the child's treatment, and the remainder will be paid off over the next few years.


The father of this child emphasized to the BBC that if he had the financial means, he would never have made such a decision; but in circumstances where treatment was impossible, he preferred his daughter to survive, even at the cost of being separated from her.


The BBC also highlighted the dire living conditions in Ghor, writing that many men gather at intersections every morning in search of work, but often return home after days without any income. Day laborers say their meager earnings don't even cover the family's daily bread.


In another section of the report, accounts from families living in extreme poverty describe how some parents, out of desperation, have said they are willing to sell their children to keep other family members alive. At the same time, cases of malnutrition and child deaths have also been reported in this province.


The BBC concludes by stating that, according to statistics from international organizations, a large portion of Afghanistan's population cannot meet their basic life needs, and the economic crisis, widespread unemployment, and reduced humanitarian aid have severely worsened the humanitarian situation in the country.


Parts of the report also point to the role of weak support structures and the lack of effective access to health services in remote areas. According to local sources, many medical centers in Ghor either lack sufficient equipment or, due to shortages of doctors and medicine, are unable to provide adequate services—a situation that has left patients, especially children, at serious risk of death.


The BBC further addresses the intense psychological pressures on families, noting that alongside economic poverty, widespread despair and anxiety are evident among parents. Some families have said that even borrowing to meet the most basic needs has turned into a cycle of debt and persistent poverty, a cycle that seems nearly impossible to escape for many.

BBC World Service has reported on the critical situation of poverty and unemployment in Afghanistan's Ghor province, stating that many families, due to extreme financial hardship, have resorted to painful choices, including selling their children. The report notes that economic collapse and the lack of job opportunities have pushed people's daily lives to the brink of crisis.

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