The start of a new year is often a time for hope and looking towards the future. Afghan-istan's ten million children have more to hope for than many. While the war against the Taliban may be coming to an end, the humanitarian crisis is far from over. Even before the terrorist events in America on 11 September, Afghan-istan was at crisis point with the country's infrastructure wrecked by more than two decades of armed conflict, five years of Taliban rule and a three-year drought that killed livestock and crops and left children malnourished.
Chrissie Gale, head of programmes at the charity Children in Crisis, says, 'A lot of politicians are discussing what the future of Afghanistan will be at the moment. Their discussions will shape the future for Afghanistan's children. Currently we are not expecting the situation to change much and it will take an interim government a while to have an effect on the country's social welfare, health and education. Aid agencies are anxious to alleviate hardships in Afghanistan until the new government can take over from the interim one. Some food is getting through but there are difficulties because there is still territory with rebel groups and the harsh winter is rapidly cutting people off.'
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