Introduction
After enduring decades of conflict, Afghanistan remains a fragile state. In addition to insecurity, the country has recently struggled to cope with a devastating drought, widespread food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic. The last year has been particularly challenging. Since the August 2021 political transition, Afghanistan has experienced a crippling economic decline, rising poverty, reduced employment opportunities, commodity price spikes and ruptures in essential services. Although Afghanistan has largely fallen out of the headlines in the U.S. media in recent months, the country’s humanitarian situation is growing significantly worse.
According to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Overview, 24.4 million people are estimated to be in need, while 19.7 million people are facing crisis levels of food insecurity (Phase 3[1] and above) between June and November 2022. Making matters worse, Afghanistan experienced multiple natural disasters in the first six months of 2022, including harsh winter conditions, two high-magnitude earthquakes and heavy flash floods.
These comounded crises have caused significant mental distress and physical trauma for many Afghans. The World Health Organization reports that conflict has left an estimated 800,000 people (2.7% of the population) with severe disabilities. According to the National Mental Health Survey commissioned by the European Union, approximately half of the country’s population is already experiencing depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress due to violence. Afghanistan is ranked as the least peaceful country in the world by the Global Peace Index, and the conflict remains one of the deadliest for civilians by global measures. Afghanistan was also ranked lowest, out of 170 countries, on the 2021 Women, Peace and Security Index. Although violence has decreased following last year’s political transition, sporadic attacks continue to occur. Prior to last year, conflict was the cause of displacement for three-fourths of the country’s 5.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs), but this trend is slowing, with only 7,400 people displaced by conflict in the first six months of 2022. People returning to their homes need help to restore their livelihoods, particularly given the worsening economic crisis and rising prices. More than 508,000 people have returned from neighboring countries, primarily Pakistan and Iran, to date in 2022.
Circumstances are particularly dire for Afghan women and girls, who face tightened restrictions on their ability to work, attend school and travel outside their homes. Most women have limited or no access to basic services, such as protection,[2] healthcare or education. Particularly during times of displacement, women and girls are at increased risk of violence, early marriage or other threats to their safety and security. Moreover, when families experience food insecurity, women often eat least and last in their households.
Thanks to the generosity of CARE’s supporters, we are implementing a comprehensive humanitarian response that seeks to address these complex and interrelated challenges. Women and girls remain at the center of our efforts. We are focusing on areas where CARE has an existing presence and where we can build on existing programs and infrastructure. CARE began working in Afghanistan in 1961, and we have achieved high levels of acceptance and respect for our work within local communities over many years.
This report shares highlights of our accomplishments over the last year (August 2021-July 2022).
CARE’s Response
CARE’s humanitarian crisis response in Afghanistan aims to help people meet their basic needs, including health, protection, education, nutrition, and food security and livelihoods. Since the political transition in August 2021, CARE’s programs have delivered lifesaving services and support to 416,548 people. A summary of CARE’s reach to date by program area is shown in the full report attached to this introduction.
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CARE resumes health and nutrition activities in Afghanistan with male and female staff
Kabul, 16 January 2023 – CARE will be resuming its health and nutrition operations in Afghanistan after obtaining the necessary assurances from the Ministry of Public Health that our female staff will be able to carry out their work safely and unfettered, both in community-based and support roles.
CARE had previously suspended operations in response to the December 24th, 2022, decision by the de facto authorities to ban all women from working for NGOs operating in Afghanistan.
Our female colleagues are an essential part of our organization and we cannot deliver a principled response without them, so we welcome the opportunity to resume our health and nutrition operations given the scope of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. That said, CARE depends on both male and female staff to respond to wide range of challenges facing the Afghan people.
We are hopeful that the ban will be reversed, but in the meantime will continue to look for ways to move forward that will allow both female and male workers to provide life-saving work to people –especially the women and girls of Afghanistan – in all sectors.
CARE has been working in Afghanistan since 1961 and operates 30 Mobile Health Teams in 7 provinces.
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As you may have seen in the news, the Afghan government has barred women from working in local and international humanitarian organizations.
We have temporarily halted operations and CARE is deeply concerned by the announcement that Afghan women are prohibited from working for NGOs. Without women aid workers, NGOs may not be able to reach women, girls, and families, cutting access to aid for half of a population already suffering from a hunger crisis.
Thank you again for your support and solidarity during such a critical time. We will keep you and other key donors and partners posted as the situation evolves.
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CARE began working in Afghanistan in 1961, and we have achieved high levels of acceptance and respect for our work within local communities over many years.
This report shares highlights of our accomplishments over the last year (August 2021-July 2022).
Introduction
After enduring decades of conflict, Afghanistan remains a fragile state. In addition to insecurity, the country has recently struggled to cope with a devastating drought, widespread food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic. The last year has been particularly challenging. Since the August 2021 political transition, Afghanistan has experienced a crippling economic decline, rising poverty, reduced employment opportunities, commodity price spikes and ruptures in essential services. Although Afghanistan has largely fallen out of the headlines in the U.S. media in recent months, the country’s humanitarian situation is growing significantly worse.
According to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Overview, 24.4 million people are estimated to be in need, while 19.7 million people are facing crisis levels of food insecurity (Phase 3[1] and above) between June and November 2022. Making matters worse, Afghanistan experienced multiple natural disasters in the first six months of 2022, including harsh winter conditions, two high-magnitude earthquakes and heavy flash floods.
[1] Based on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which analyzes food insecurity and acute malnutrition situations to inform emergency response and longer-term policy and programming. In IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), households either have food consumption gaps that result in high or above-normal acute malnutrition, or they can only meet their minimum food needs by depleting their assets or using other negative coping strategies.
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The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate, with the ongoing crisis made far worse by insufficient rain and crop failures. About 24 million people there need humanitarian assistance, and 3.4 million people are displaced. Of the 700,000 people forced from their homes since August 2021, 80% are women and children. CARE is scaling up a comprehensive response to help displaced families and other vulnerable Afghans. We are providing emergency multi-purpose cash assistance, cash for work, medical supplies, mobile health teams, food and agriculture support, household and hygiene essentials, and supplies to help cope with winter weather.
Given the unfolding nature of the hunger crisis, CARE’simmediate humanitarian assistance will prevent women, children and families in countries where severe malnutrition rates are highest from reaching possible famine levels. Simultaneously, we will address fuel and fertilizer shortages and rising costs in as many as 540 communities in countries where farming is becoming cost prohibitive, and families are on the cusp of deeper malnutrition. Countries like Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe are showing alarming declines in access to nutritious food and alarming malnutrition levels. To create a safety net for the future and strengthen less-developed nations’ ability to mitigate crises of this magnitude, CARE will work with the private sector, governments and bilateral donors to access alternate food, fuel and fertilizer supplies, and change the policies and systems that create unstable environments and unfavorable conditions at local, country and international levels. Our comprehensive approach will be adapted to the specific needs and contexts of each country or region and scale up as need and resources warrant. These initial focus countries and communities are ones CARE knows well, where our presence will allow us to act quickly—with a core focus on women, children and vulnerable groups.
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