Inequalities and inaccessibility to sources of food and livelihood: the case of the Hazaras of Afghanistan between ethnocentric polities, secular ethnoregional conflicts and unfair distribution of humanitarian aid

Afghanistan is a millennia-old crossroads of invasions and migrations, the result of centuries of encounters, and more often clashes, of different peoples and cultures, which have produced an ethnic mosaic where regional tensions and conflicts are common and are situated within a broader context of total and constant warfare that has lasted for more than fifty years and where human rights and access to vital resources are often compromised. This paper aims to examine the inaccessibility to sources of food and livelihood for the Hazara people in Afghanistan, one of the fourteen ethnic groups recognized by the Afghan constitution, who have witnessed a long record of human rights violations and mass killings. Two key factors will be examined: the ethnocentric policies of successive Afghan governments that have led to an unequal distribution of humanitarian aid in Hazara provinces under both Islamic Republic governments and the current Taliban regime; and the centuries-old ethnoregional conflict between the nomadic Kuchi Pashtuns and the Hazara people. The argument is developed through analysis and investigation of available and relevant data, as well as through interviews with stakeholders and witnesses. This analysis aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by the Hazara people, thereby contributing to a broader awareness of issues related to equity and access to vital resources in vulnerable contexts