UN Report Finds Widespread Trauma in Afghanistan After Decades of War

A United Nations report released this week highlights that victims of Afghanistan’s decades‑long armed conflict continue to endure severe physical, psychological, social and economic repercussions, often without access to justice, reparations or formal recognition of the harms inflicted. The assessment, compiled by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in collaboration with local partners, documents the persistent gaps in assistance for civilians affected by successive wars that began with the 1979 Soviet invasion, continued through the civil strife of the 1990s, the Taliban regime, and the 2001 U.S.-led intervention.

The report finds that many survivors lack basic medical care for injuries and trauma, face unemployment and poverty, and are excluded from legal mechanisms that could provide compensation or acknowledgment of their suffering. It calls on the Afghan authorities, international donors and humanitarian agencies to establish comprehensive support programs, ensure accountability for violations, and create a transparent reparations framework. The UN urges that addressing these unmet needs is essential for fostering long‑term stability and reconciliation in a country still grappling with the legacy of prolonged conflict.