New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) World leaders must rapidly increase investments in humanitarian assistance, immediately reinstate the COVID-19 response and recovery plans, and create and fund global coalitions to help the people of Afghanistan, and all approaches and programs must explicitly tackle gender-specific barriers, PMNCH Board Chair Helen Clark said.

WHO's Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health is the world's largest alliance for the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents, with over 1,000 partner organisations across its 10 constituencies.

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In a statement, Clark said the situation is getting worse by the day. The lives of millions of women, children and adolescents hang in the balance, 20 years of hard-won progress toward liberty has been cancelled at a single stroke by the Taliban's resurgence.

Calling on world leaders, the former New Zealand prime minister said they must rapidly increase investments in humanitarian assistance, immediately reinstate the COVID-19 response and recovery plans, and create and fund global coalitions to help the people of Afghanistan.

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"They must provide protection and resources to health professionals and aid workers, including access to the essential commodities, equipment, and medical supplies they need. All approaches and programs must explicitly tackle gender-specific barriers to health care and other services," she said.

Calling for a strong and decisive multi-stakeholder response is required, she said UN agencies, NGOs, donors, academics, the private sector, and anyone else with useful and relevant skills should collaborate unreservedly to support these efforts with guidance, resources, expertise, and funding.

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan this month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities including Kabul in the backdrop of the withdrawal of the US forces.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)