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Press Release
06 November 2022
UN IN AFGHANISTAN CALLS FOR URGENT COLLECTIVE CLIMATE ACTION IN THE COUNTRY
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Press Release
12 October 2022
UNHCR, FAO, and UN Women launch a joint initiative to support women-led organizations in Faizabad, Badakhshan Province – Afghanistan.
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Press Release
18 September 2022
ONE YEAR OF GIRLS BEING EXCLUDED FROM HIGH SCHOOL – RENEWED CALL THAT THEY BE ENABLED TO RETURN TO CLASSROOM
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Afghanistan
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Afghanistan:
Publication
11 January 2022
Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan 2022
PEOPLE IN NEED
24.4M
PLANNED REACH
22.1M
REQUIREMENTS (US$)
$4.44B
OPERATIONAL PARTNERS
158
Foreword
We go into 2022 with unprecedented levels of need amongst ordinary women, men and children of Afghanistan. 24.4 million people are in humanitarian need – more than half the population. Years of compounded crises and under-investment have resulted in nearly four times the number of people in need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance compared to just three years ago.
The country is currently facing the second drought in four years, the worst of its kind in 27 years. As a result, Afghanistan now has the highest number of people in emergency food insecurity in the world – this is a terrifying 35 per cent increase from the same time last year. More than one in two children under-five is facing acute malnutrition and will be at risk of death if immediate action is not taken. The already over-burdened health system is straining to survive numerous shocks, including due to the continuing impact of COVID-19, spikes in waterborne diseases, frustratingly persistent strains of polio and a sudden collapse in predictable financing that has kept the nationwide health infrastructure afloat. The economic crisis currently facing the country has sent prices skyrocketing, while simultaneously diminishing people’s purchasing power. People are increasingly desparate, have exhausted nearly all coping mechanisms and have resorted to taking on unmanageable debt burdens and relying on dangerous coping mechanisms to survive. The situation of women and girls is particularly dire as their rights and opportunities have become increasingly restricted. The burden the people of Afghanistan have been forced to carry is far to heavy to manage alone.
Over the course of a tumultuous and unpredictable year, the humanitarian community has proven its capacity to scale-up to meet new needs, including in response to recurrent natural disasters, escalating conflict, the withdrawal of international forces and the shift in the governance structure. I am proud to say that despite the numerous challenges created by the worsening security environment and increase in overall need, humanitarian organisations have persistently proven their commitment to stay and deliver and increase overall reach. Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) remain the backbone of this response and I look forward to further investment in sustaining a vibrant and engaged NGOs and civil society sector in the year to come. In 2022, humanitarian organisations have an ambitious plan to reach 22.1 million people with life-saving multi-sectoral assistance.
In order to do this, the 2022 HRP requires $4.4 billion. People’s survival depends on the 158 dedicated humanitarian organisations operating in Afghanistan receiving sufficient financial resources to deliver. The consequences of late or inadequate funding are very real. Years of funding shortfalls have increasingly required humanitarians to try to do more with less and the limited rollout of complementary development assistance and sudden cessation of predictable development assistance have all been factors in the worsening outlook for 2022.
We have made historic strides in working to develop cross-sector approaches with development actors in 2021 based on both life-saving activities and support for services that address basic human needs. Jointly we have developed a common snapshot of overlapping needs and activities that recognises the multidimensional impact of the current crisis. I look forward to the implementation of this innovative and crucial cross-pillar approach in 2022.
The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and InterCluster Coordination Teams (ICCT) are committed to applying a strong gender and protection lens to their work in 2022 acknowledging the disproportionate impacts of the current crisis on women, children and people with disability. Given the scale of vulnerability in Afghanistan, this effort will be guided by a range of both new and well-established technical working groups focused on gender, disability inclusion, genderbased violence (GBV), child protection, accountability to affected people (AAP) and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA). The Humanitarian Country Team will also continue to be led by advice from Afghans themselves, a crucial function that will be supported by dedicated local experts, such as the Afghan Women’s Advisory Group. Sustained, principled humanitarian access to people in need has expanded significantly over the last years, and will continue to be built upon in 2022, and our negotiations will be guided by the Joint Operating Principles (JOPS) and with support from the Humanitarian Access Group.
The humanitarian community stands beside the people of Afghanistan, during what is undoubtedly one of the country’s most difficult periods. Given the sheer scale of needs, we are all called upon to remain in solidarity with ordinary Afghans and to expand efforts to reach more people with the life-saving assistance they urgently need to survive. We must act collectively and creatively in this pivotal moment to reduce suffering, rebuild lives and livelihoods and ensure the rights of the most vulnerable are upheld. I urge donors to stay engaged in the wellbeing of the people of Afghanistan, and to give early and generously to humanitarian organisations. The people of Afghanistan cannot wait and the cost of inaction is simply far too high
Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov Afghanistan Humanitarian Coordinator
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Publication
24 October 2022
BRIEF NO. 1: MEDIA RESTRICTIONS AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR GENDER EQUALITY IN AFGHANISTAN
SUMMARY
After nearly 20 years of international investment and successful efforts to build a diverse media landscape and strengthen journalism standards, the Afghan media sector has fundamentally changed for the worse since the Taliban (also referred herein to as the de facto authorities) takeover on 15 August 2021.
Before mid-August 2021, dedicated initiatives and investment focused on increasing the number of women working in the media across a diversity of roles, training and equipping them with valuable skills and expertise, as well as a substantive focus on women’s rights and gender equality in the media content, including on how gender inequality is a driver of conflict.
The Taliban has sought to bring the Afghan media under its control, prohibiting broadcasts and publications that criticize Taliban rule and/or are incompatible with the group’s interpretation of Islamic and Afghan values.
There is no universal experience across the changed media environment, as the level of subnational variation is notable. The position of individual de facto leaders on media freedom varies according to their personal viewpoints and relationship to the media in the past, and their perception of the value of media to extend the credibility and authority of the Taliban in the eyes of the target audience.
Despite subnational variations, nationwide trends are becoming increasingly discernible, clear and solidified. Although in some cases the level of discretion may be higher, rules and practices are consistent and congruent – continuous harassment, attacks, and detention of journalists, the requirement for women journalists to cover their face when on air, and various tactics which combined lead to self-censorship and exclusion of women from the media. This indicates a systematic and coherent effort to muzzle the media and exclude women – their faces, perspectives, and experiences – from public spaces.
Afghans across the country have grown to rely on television, radio, and other forms of media for information on a wide range of concerns. For some Afghans, including those now outside the country, social media – especially Facebook – has become an alternative media platform. However, without reliable, diverse, and independent media, all Afghans are denied access to information and plurality of opinions and ideas.
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Story
19 April 2021
“CLIMATE ACTION FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET: THE TIME IS NOW”
By António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
The science is irrefutable and globally agreed: to stop the climate crisis from becoming a permanent catastrophe, we must limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius. To do this, we must get to net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by mid-century. Countries making up about two-thirds of the global economy have committed to do so. This is encouraging, but we urgently need every country, city, business, and financial institution to join this coalition and adopt concrete plans for transitioning to net zero.
Even more urgent is for governments to match this long-term ambition with concrete actions now, as trillions of dollars are mobilized to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Revitalizing economies is our chance to re-engineer our future.
The world has a strong framework for action: the Paris Agreement, in which all countries committed to set their own national climate action plans and strengthen them every five years. Over five years later, and with damning proof that if we don’t act we will destroy our planet, it is time for decisive and effective action as the United Nations convenes all countries in Glasgow in November for COP26.
The new national plans must cut global greenhouse gas pollution by at least 45 percent by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. Many have been presented already and set out clearer policies to adapt to the impacts of climate change and boost access to renewable energy. But so far, those plans achieve less than a 1 percent cut in emissions. This is a true red alert for people and the planet.
In the months ahead, beginning with the upcoming Leaders Summit hosted by the United States, governments must dramatically step up their ambitions – particularly the biggest-emitting countries that have caused the vast bulk of the crisis. Phasing out coal from the electricity sector is the single most important step to get in line with the 1.5-degree goal. Immediate action to remove the dirtiest, most polluting fossil fuel from power sectors offers our world a fighting chance.
Global coal use in electricity generation must fall by 80 percent below 2010 levels by 2030. This means that developed economies must commit to phase out coal by 2030; other countries must do this by 2040. There is simply no reason for any new coal plants to be built anywhere. One third of the global coal fleet is already more costly to operate than building new renewables and storage. COP26 must signal an end to coal.
As the world moves toward clean air and renewable energy, it is essential that we ensure a just transition. Workers in impacted industries and the informal sector must be supported as they move jobs or reskill. We must also unleash the vast power of women and girls to drive transformation, including as equal participants in governance and decision-making.
The countries that contributed least to climate change are suffering many of the worst impacts. Many small island nations will simply cease to exist if we don’t step up the response. The developed countries must deliver on their commitments to provide and mobilize $100 billion annually by:
doubling current levels of climate finance;
devoting half of all climate finance to adaptation;
stopping the international funding of coal; and
shifting subsidies from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
The G7 Summit in June offers the opportunity for the world’s wealthiest countries to step up and provide the necessary financial commitments that will ensure the success of COP26.
While governments must lead, decision-makers everywhere have a vital role to play. I ask all multilateral and national development banks, by COP26, to have clear policies in place to fund the COVID recovery and the transition to resilient economies in developing countries, taking into account crippling debt levels and huge pressures on national budgets. Many local governments and private businesses have committed to net zero emissions by 2050, and have engaged in significant reviews of their business models. I urge all to set ambitious targets and policies.
I encourage young people everywhere to continue to raise their voices for action to address climate change, protect biodiversity, stop humanity’s war on nature and accelerate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Time is running out, and there is much hard work ahead, but this no time to raise the white flag. The United Nations will keep flying our blue flag of solidarity and hope. This Earth Day and over the crucial months ahead, I urge all nations and all people to rise together to this moment.
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Publication
09 January 2022
Afghanistan: Humanitarian Needs Overview (2022)
Context, Shocks/Events, and Impact of the Crisis
Following 40 years of war and an already dire situation of increasing hunger, economic decline, price rises in food and other essential needs, and rising poverty over the past several years, over 2021 the people of Afghanistan faced intensified conflict, the withdrawal of international forces and then the takeover of the country by the Taliban in August.
The resulting political, social and economic shocks have reverberated across the country with a massive deterioration of the humanitarian and protection situation in the 4th quarter of 2021 and the outlook for 2022 remaining profoundly uncertain.
Afghanistan’s population is estimated to be 41.7m in 2021, of whom 51 per cent are men and 49 per cent are women. A staggering 47 per cent of the population are under 15 years old, giving Afghanistan one of the highest youth populations in the world. With a projected population growth rate of 2.3 per cent per annum, one of the steepest in the region, the country’s financially-dependent youth population is set to grow even further.
Population growth, internal displacement, higher-than- usual rates of cross-border return are contributing to increased strain on limited resources, livelihood opportunities and basic services, as well as an increase in protection risks especially for most at risk groups. It is estimated that there are more than 2.6 million Afghan refugees worldwide and more than 5.5 million people displaced by conflict inside the country.
Scope of Analysis
This Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) looks at likely evolution of humanitarian needs in Afghanistan throughout 2022 with an inter-sectoral approach to the analysis that recognises the multi-dimensional nature of people’s needs across sectors. The situation beyond 2022 remains extremely uncertain with a wide- range of risks that could upset planning assumptions. These risks and potential implications to 2021 planning are outlined in the risks section of this analysis (pg 49). The political takeover by the Taliban and the possible range of geo-political responses, as well as transformed security dynamics have made much previous analysis used to anticipate needs (trends in the “fighting season”) of questionable utility. Thus, forward projections beyond 2022 would be unreliable and so have not been included in this analysis.
All 2022 calculations are based on the joint planning assumptions that are outlined in the risk sections in regard to the evolution of the political and security situation, with different seasonal influences on needs throughout the year including the onset of winter, rainfall patterns, agricultural planting and harvest seasons, and others (see pg. 51 for seasonal influences on needs). Greater emphasis has been placed on the drought impact and economic fallout from the crisis in the analysis, under the assumption that large-scale conflict is likely to be a relatively smaller factor in driving needs then in previous years. This analysis will be updated on a rolling basis as conditions change.
Population Groups
Because of the multi-dimensional threat facing Afghanistan of economic collapse, political instability, conflict and climate, needs are deep and widespread across the country, affecting all provinces. While the broader categories of the populations of concern for 2022 will remain similar to 2021, new sub-groups of Afghanistan’s rural and urban communities whose vulnerabilities have been aggravated by the conflict, drought and economic shocks and years of lack of recovery, have been included.
Internally Displaced People (only includes newly displaced due to all causes in 2022)
Shock-Affected Non-Displaced People (people newly affected by floods and other natural disasters in 2022)
Vulnerable People with Humanitarian Needs (including protracted IDPs and those displaced before 2022, vulnerable protracted cross border returnees, IDP returnees, people affected by economic shock and income loss)
Cross-Border Returnees (newly returned in 2022)
Refuges and Asylum Seekers
This HNO applies protection, gender, age, disability, mental health and AAP lenses to its analysis with disaggregated data used throughout, where available.
Humanitarian Conditions, Severity and People in Need
The deteriorating context and an increase in population estimates (now 41.7 million people) have combined to leave a projected 24.4 million people in humanitarian need in 2022, up from 18.4 million people at the start of 202. These humanitarian needs estimates were calculated using the Joint Inter-sectoral Analysis Framework or JIAF approach, which looks holistically at the needs facing people in Afghanistan and measures the severity of these needs using a series of inter-sectoral indicators. The JIAF inter-sectoral analysis of needs revealed that there are needs in every province of the country. With extreme need in 29 out of 34 provinces and the rest in severe need, with almost all population groups of concern present in every province (except refugees who are centred in Khost and Paktika).
The analysis shows that the intensification of the conflict through August 2021, a consecutive year of drought, other natural disasters, Covid-19 and the broad-based economic crisis following the collapse of the Government has tipped many people from extreme poverty into outright catastrophe. With coping mechanisms and safety nets largely exhausted – as previous HNOs have warned --the collapse of basic services and development programming since August has pushed a large number of people reliant on development assistance into crisis. An updated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis shows that in the first quarter of 2022, a staggering 23 million people, or 55 per cent of the population, are expected to be in crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC 3 and 4). 8.7 million people projected to be in IPC 4 – the highest number in the world. The fundamental drivers of food insecurity in Afghanistan include widespread poverty and economic fragility, extreme weather and climatic shocks, land degradation, and decades of conflict that have limited the spread of essential public services and safety nets.
According to the Global Citizen report on the Worst Countries for Gender Equality, Afghanistan is the worst place to be a woman. Afghan women and girls face unique vulnerabilities and risks as gender inequality is interwoven with the conflict dynamics and humanitarian needs. There are grave concerns about the roll-back on women’s rights and restrictions on their participation in life and society, with impositions introduced on education, right to work and freedom of movement of girls and women.
Even with 55% of the country already in humanitarian need, the possibility of a further deterioration is very real. The majority of the remainder of the country requires the continuation and restoration of services addressing basic human needs to prevent them from slipping into humanitarian crisis.
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Story
13 December 2021
One shining light: how medical supplies airlifted to Afghanistan have been used to save lives
In desperation, Rana, the junior wife in their household of 12, brought Amina to the National Infectious Diseases hospital hoping for some help.
And help there was. As soon as Amina arrived, she was assessed as severely dehydrated, and treatment began. “This is the one shining light in a very dark time” said Rana as she stood by Amina’s bedside.
Although none of the staff have been paid for 3 months, the doctors and nurses have been coming every day, simply because, as the hospital director, Dr Asadullah Esmat, said ‘This is our job. We are trained for that. Our staff say to us, ‘No problem, I am working for the people of Afghanistan’
In early September, just a few weeks after the change in political regime, people began arriving at the hospital with acute watery diarrhoea. Numbers climbed quickly, peaking at over 100 people per day. Many people had delayed seeking care, not certain if help would still be available, and arrived severely dehydrated, needing urgent rehydration.
The hospital was already crowded with people needing advanced care for the many infectious diseases challenging the people of Afghanistan – meningitis, tuberculosis, HIV, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, COVID-19 to name a few. But it was essential to isolate and treat everyone who had acute watery diarrhoea to save lives.
“We emptied out several wards, discharging those patients who were well enough, putting others in other parts of the hospital, even the corridors. We needed one female and one male isolation ward to comply with the new rules.” said Dr Esmat.
WHO was able to supply critical protective equipment for health workers, such as gloves, masks and lifesaving treatment such as intravenous rehydration fluids. Since mid-August, donors have responded to WHO appeals for help and over 240 metric tonnes of medical supplies to help with all manner of health challenges, including acute watery diarrhoea have been airlifted to Afghanistan via 14 flights. Supplies are still desperately needed but more flights are coming.
The supplies and the commitment of the health workers have paid off in lives saved. “Overall, we treated around 3000 patients and not one of them died. Thanks to the supplies and support we received from WHO, who came and helped in the earliest stage of the outbreak, we were able to provide the best care possible, even in these difficult circumstances,” said Professor Mohammad Murad Mamozai, the hospital’s medical director.
The numbers of acute watery diarrhoea cases appear to be declining; fewer people are coming to hospital needing treatment for this, and numbers elsewhere are falling. But the outbreak did spread to 5 provinces and more than 3339 people have been infected. Work to identify every case, ensure water and sanitation measures are taken, such as chlorination of water sources, needs to be done to prevent further infection.
All this depends on regular medical supplies coming into the country via WHO and other UN agencies. The other critical factor is the work being done by skilled and committed Afghan professionals, who are still turning up to work, despite still waiting to be paid.
As Leda, a 26-year-old nurse working in the infectious disease hospital explained when asked how she stays motivated, “I wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little girl. Yes, we don’t have a salary, but I love what I do.“
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Story
15 August 2022
One year since the Taliban takeover: We can’t turn our backs on Afghanistan’s future
Shortly before the Taliban takeover one year ago, I visited an orphanage in Kunduz, a city in the north of Afghanistan. I was heartbroken when I spoke with a young girl there who had lost her entire family the day before, following intense fighting between the Afghan National Security Forces and the Taliban. Although she was safe from any immediate danger, had access to food, shelter and other life-saving necessities thanks to the support from our UN team on the ground, I knew that her needs and those of other vulnerable children across Afghanistan were far greater, and the problems faced by their communities more complex.
One year on, these challenges have grown exponentially and our efforts to build a stable future for children like the ones I met last year in Kunduz have become more demanding. From hunger to chronic poverty, to increase in negative coping mechanisms, such as child marriage or selling of organs and children, the scale of suffering in Afghanistan continues to rise across many areas since the Taliban advanced on Kabul last summer.
Over half of the country’s population now live below the poverty line. Nearly 23 million people are food insecure, many of them severely so, and more than 2 million children are suffering from malnutrition. In June 2022, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck central region of Afghanistan, killing over 1,000 people and pushing already vulnerable communities to the brink.
I am especially worried about Afghan women and girls, whose lives have changed unrecognizably since the Taliban returned to power last summer. Since 15 August, we have seen a significant rolling back of their economic, political, and social rights and a worrying escalation in restrictive gender policies and behaviors. Without the right to education, work and freedom of movement, women now find themselves increasingly relegated to the margins.
As these developments began to unfold last year, our UN team vowed to stay and deliver for the people of Afghanistan. Under the auspices of the One UN Transitional Engagement Framework for Afghanistan, the overarching strategic planning document that guides our UN team’s work on the ground, we have been able to save lives whilst sustaining essential services and preserving key community systems. In the first six months of this year alone, we reached 22.9 million with some form of humanitarian assistance – 94 per cent of the overall 24.4 million people in need. Vulnerable households were supported with life-saving and life-sustaining food assistance – from emergency rations, to seasonal support, agricultural supplies and nutritious supplements – to healthcare, emergency shelter and non-food items, WASH and protection assistance.
Yet despite our unprecedented response, the needs across Afghanistan remain vast. Rates of food insecurity, poverty and debt have soared since the Taliban returned to power last summer, even if the roots of these problems existed long before 15 August 2021 following decades of neglect and underdevelopment in key public services and infrastructure.
Without access to these services, including strong healthcare, a functioning banking system and resilient agricultural sector, the lives of ordinary Afghans will continue to hang in the balance. The people of Afghanistan deserve a serious commitment and sustained investment in their future, which is why, one year into the Taliban takeover, we are redoubling our efforts to strengthen the fundamental pillars of Afghan society, starting with its economy.
Guided by the objectives set out in our Transitional Engagement Framework, we will focus on recovering the economy from the bottom up, expanding women’s economic participation and creating more than two million new jobs. With more sustainable sources of income, families will be better equipped to break out of endless cycles of hunger and slowly reduce their dependence on humanitarian assistance. The full return of women to work is essential to transforming Afghanistan’s economy, which is why we are working hard to support women-led businesses and expand employment opportunities for women across the country.
Since the majority of people in Afghanistan live in rural areas, we must focus particular attention on sustaining the agricultural economy by strengthening agricultural-food systems and developing stronger links between farmers, food producers and local markets.
Our UN team is already implementing these approaches in rural areas across Afghanistan, including in some of the regions affected by the recent earthquakes. Visiting this area in south-eastern Afghanistan earlier this month, one of the young men I met gave me a handwritten note which listed the immediate asks for his village: clean water, homes, education, health, roads and jobs. The message to the UN was clear: support us with these simple requests now and we can better support ourselves through the uncertainties of the future.
As we move forward, we will continue to work to improve the lives of people in Afghan - including women and girls. When the Taliban returned to power last summer, we rapidly scaled up the provision of essential health, education and protection services for women and girls. We have expanded this support in recent months, opening new women friendly health spaces in Kabul for increased access to psychological support; scaling up mobile health teams to reach more vulnerable women and children affected by the earthquakes and rolling out more training programmes for displaced and returnee women through our empowerment centers.
Whatever uncertainties lie ahead, we will place the needs of women and girls at the center of our recovery efforts and will work every day to ensure that they return to work, go back to school, and are able to resume their right to live free and equal lives.
Thinking back to this day last year, I am proud of the support our UN team has provided the people of Afghanistan, and the efforts we have made to prevent some of the worst-case scenarios that we feared from playing out.
Profoundly moved and motivated by ground realities, I look at the challenges ahead, and reiterate our mission to ensure that every person in Afghanistan, including children like the girl from Kunduz, can plan and have a dignified future, well beyond striving for survival today.
By Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan.
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Story
01 June 2022
Uzbekistan steps up to support neighbor Afghanistan at critical humanitarian juncture
In the early 1990s Uzbekistan, the double landlocked country in Central Asia, had just emerged as an independent state from the Soviet Union. With a fragile economy and developing industrial sector, these were challenging times for the newly autonomous country.
Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, remembers this period well, having spent the early days of his career working for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Regional Office for Central Asia. In Uzbekistan he witnessed first-hand the challenges in expanding healthcare and other essential services.
"Back in those days the overall developmental context of the country and the challenges experienced were very different from the current level of advancement and development."
Thirty years later, as Dr. Alakbarov returns to the country, Uzbekistan finds itself in a very different position: a key supporter and vital partner in the United Nation’s response to one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian emergencies.
Since the Taliban returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021, humanitarian needs across the country have soared. Ninety-five per cent of people do not have enough food to eat. 6.6 million people are at risk of famine and one million children are severely malnourished.
As more and more Afghans are forced to rely on humanitarian assistance in order to survive, UN Afghanistan, led by Dr. Alakbarov and his team, have been working with UN agencies to scale up its response. Regional cooperation is key Regional cooperation has been key to enabling the UN’s successful response in Afghanistan, as Dr. Alakbarov learnt during a recent joint mission to Termez in southern Uzbekistan with the Resident Coordinator of Uzbekistan, Ms. Roli Asthana and country representatives from UNICEF and UNHCR.
Termez is a relatively small city of just over 180, 000 people, but it is playing an outsized role in supporting the UN’s emergency operations across the border in Afghanistan. Termez Regional Humanitarian Logistics Hub is situated 2 km from the border and was the first stop of the Resident Coordinators’ joint visit.
The center was set up in October 2021 by UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency - with strong support from the Government of Uzbekistan. Its proximity to the border means supplies can be moved quickly and easily to where they are needed most. UNHCR Representative for Afghanistan Leonard Zulu explained to the Resident Coordinators’ delegation how the hub’s location in Termez was vital to enabling a quick and flexible humanitarian response. "Our humanitarian assistance has been brought closer to the Afghanistan operations so that if we need that across the border we can move it as quickly as possible.
So far we have moved 1000 tons from here mainly to Afghanistan but with the recent crisis in Ukraine we have been using some of the humanitarian assistance to help out in Ukraine as well." With over 9,000 square meters of storage, the warehouse houses a range of emergency food rations, WASH supplies and other relief items including sleeping mats, tarpaulins, fleece, blankets, and kitchen sets.
Essential food items, including flour, travel from the hub in Termez to all corners of Afghanistan.
"Some of them are going to Badakhshan via Dushanbe to in Tajikistan, and some will go directly into trucks where they will be sent all over the north of Afghanistan to Kabul, down to Jalalabad, to Kandahar," explains Finne Lucey, a WFP Logistics Officer. Joining forces across borders The vast amount of supplies moving in and out of the hub every day is not just an impressive logistical feat, but also a testament to the strong cooperation fostered between different UN agencies and the Government of Uzbekistan.
Speaking to colleagues at the cargo hub, Dr. Alakbarov was struck by the level of inter-agency and cross border collaboration he saw in Termez. "This is how UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, and our coordination offices are joining forces across borders to deliver aid to the Afghan people. We have reached millions of people in Afghanistan with essential food aid this winter, and we will continue because no one should be left behind." Without the support of the Government of Uzbekistan in providing this high-tech facilitation cargo hub in Termez, it would not be possible to transport such large quantities of aid across the border.
"The government here has said right from the beginning a priority for them is to make sure that they support the humanitarian operations inside of Afghanistan and they're doing just that", explained Simon Hacker, RCO Uzbekistan Team Leader who joined the Resident Coordinators’ delegation.
For Dr. Alakbarov the solidarity he saw in Termez was not surprising. Reflecting on his time in Uzbekistan in the late 1990s he remarked: "Even back then during difficult times, the people of Uzbekistan have always been welcoming, they always care for their neighbors.
It’s heartwarming to see the level of development in the country today, to see this generosity and open attitude towards Afghans, sharing the fruits of their development." Beyond emergency relief The spirit of neighborly solidarity between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan runs deep, and goes beyond the provision of emergency humanitarian relief - as the Resident Coordinators saw during their second stop of their mission to Termez at an education facility for Afghan students.
The Educational Center for Training Afghan Citizens (ECTAC), which was initially set up in 2017 by the governments of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, delivers a broad range of higher and vocational education and training to Afghans living in Termez.
In December of 2021, as more and more young Afghans began to cross the border into Uzbekistan, UNDP partnered with ECTAC to launch a new project aimed expanding educational opportunities for Afghan students in Termez, with a particular focus on youth and women.
The center offers a wider range of courses, from technical and vocational training to languages and humanities. During a tour of the center, the Resident Coordinators spoke to one of the current students, 17-year-old Shekiba Samadi who was born and raised in Jowzjan province located in the northern part of Afghanistan.
Sheikia has been studying Uzbek language and literature at the center for the last 3 years.
"I really love reading and literature. During the last 3 years of my stay in Uzbekistan, I got familiarized well with Uzbek history and culture and with the help of my teachers studied foreign languages. Now I can read literature and books in Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, Turkish and Russian languages," she mentions. Ahmad Javid Anis, from Sari Pul province in Afghanistan also studies Uzbek at the Centre. He told Dr. Alakbarov that has become so proficient at the language that he is now translating various Uzbek books into Pashto, including a book written by the President of Uzbekistan.
"My future dream is to continue doing research in Uzbek language and literature. I also want to educate the younger generation in my home country and to serve the bright future of Afghanistan." Returning to the UN country office in Afghanistan at the end of the joint mission to Termez, Resident Coordinator Dr. Alakbarov felt inspired from what he saw and hopeful despite the challenges ahead.
Afghanistan remains at a critical juncture. The road ahead for many Afghans may be uncertain, but the joint mission highlighted that the people of Afghanistan can turn to their neighbor to the north for support and solidarity during this extraordinary time.
Together with other regional UN agencies and partners, the Resident Coordinator’s team in Afghanistan is more determined than ever to scale up its operations and ensure that no one is left behind.
"We are not going to stop. We are going to deliver more and reach every family in Afghanistan." This story was written by Iona Allan of the UN Development Coordination Office with inputs from UN Afghanistan and UN Uzbekistan. To learn more about the UN humanitarian response in Afghanistan, please read this story. To learn more about the results of our work in this area and beyond, please read the latest UNSDG Chair Report on DCO.
Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, remembers this period well, having spent the early days of his career working for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Regional Office for Central Asia. In Uzbekistan he witnessed first-hand the challenges in expanding healthcare and other essential services.
"Back in those days the overall developmental context of the country and the challenges experienced were very different from the current level of advancement and development."
Thirty years later, as Dr. Alakbarov returns to the country, Uzbekistan finds itself in a very different position: a key supporter and vital partner in the United Nation’s response to one of the world’s most urgent humanitarian emergencies.
Since the Taliban returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021, humanitarian needs across the country have soared. Ninety-five per cent of people do not have enough food to eat. 6.6 million people are at risk of famine and one million children are severely malnourished.
As more and more Afghans are forced to rely on humanitarian assistance in order to survive, UN Afghanistan, led by Dr. Alakbarov and his team, have been working with UN agencies to scale up its response. Regional cooperation is key Regional cooperation has been key to enabling the UN’s successful response in Afghanistan, as Dr. Alakbarov learnt during a recent joint mission to Termez in southern Uzbekistan with the Resident Coordinator of Uzbekistan, Ms. Roli Asthana and country representatives from UNICEF and UNHCR.
Termez is a relatively small city of just over 180, 000 people, but it is playing an outsized role in supporting the UN’s emergency operations across the border in Afghanistan. Termez Regional Humanitarian Logistics Hub is situated 2 km from the border and was the first stop of the Resident Coordinators’ joint visit.
The center was set up in October 2021 by UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency - with strong support from the Government of Uzbekistan. Its proximity to the border means supplies can be moved quickly and easily to where they are needed most. UNHCR Representative for Afghanistan Leonard Zulu explained to the Resident Coordinators’ delegation how the hub’s location in Termez was vital to enabling a quick and flexible humanitarian response. "Our humanitarian assistance has been brought closer to the Afghanistan operations so that if we need that across the border we can move it as quickly as possible.
So far we have moved 1000 tons from here mainly to Afghanistan but with the recent crisis in Ukraine we have been using some of the humanitarian assistance to help out in Ukraine as well." With over 9,000 square meters of storage, the warehouse houses a range of emergency food rations, WASH supplies and other relief items including sleeping mats, tarpaulins, fleece, blankets, and kitchen sets.
Essential food items, including flour, travel from the hub in Termez to all corners of Afghanistan.
"Some of them are going to Badakhshan via Dushanbe to in Tajikistan, and some will go directly into trucks where they will be sent all over the north of Afghanistan to Kabul, down to Jalalabad, to Kandahar," explains Finne Lucey, a WFP Logistics Officer. Joining forces across borders The vast amount of supplies moving in and out of the hub every day is not just an impressive logistical feat, but also a testament to the strong cooperation fostered between different UN agencies and the Government of Uzbekistan.
Speaking to colleagues at the cargo hub, Dr. Alakbarov was struck by the level of inter-agency and cross border collaboration he saw in Termez. "This is how UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, and our coordination offices are joining forces across borders to deliver aid to the Afghan people. We have reached millions of people in Afghanistan with essential food aid this winter, and we will continue because no one should be left behind." Without the support of the Government of Uzbekistan in providing this high-tech facilitation cargo hub in Termez, it would not be possible to transport such large quantities of aid across the border.
"The government here has said right from the beginning a priority for them is to make sure that they support the humanitarian operations inside of Afghanistan and they're doing just that", explained Simon Hacker, RCO Uzbekistan Team Leader who joined the Resident Coordinators’ delegation.
For Dr. Alakbarov the solidarity he saw in Termez was not surprising. Reflecting on his time in Uzbekistan in the late 1990s he remarked: "Even back then during difficult times, the people of Uzbekistan have always been welcoming, they always care for their neighbors.
It’s heartwarming to see the level of development in the country today, to see this generosity and open attitude towards Afghans, sharing the fruits of their development." Beyond emergency relief The spirit of neighborly solidarity between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan runs deep, and goes beyond the provision of emergency humanitarian relief - as the Resident Coordinators saw during their second stop of their mission to Termez at an education facility for Afghan students.
The Educational Center for Training Afghan Citizens (ECTAC), which was initially set up in 2017 by the governments of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, delivers a broad range of higher and vocational education and training to Afghans living in Termez.
In December of 2021, as more and more young Afghans began to cross the border into Uzbekistan, UNDP partnered with ECTAC to launch a new project aimed expanding educational opportunities for Afghan students in Termez, with a particular focus on youth and women.
The center offers a wider range of courses, from technical and vocational training to languages and humanities. During a tour of the center, the Resident Coordinators spoke to one of the current students, 17-year-old Shekiba Samadi who was born and raised in Jowzjan province located in the northern part of Afghanistan.
Sheikia has been studying Uzbek language and literature at the center for the last 3 years.
"I really love reading and literature. During the last 3 years of my stay in Uzbekistan, I got familiarized well with Uzbek history and culture and with the help of my teachers studied foreign languages. Now I can read literature and books in Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, Turkish and Russian languages," she mentions. Ahmad Javid Anis, from Sari Pul province in Afghanistan also studies Uzbek at the Centre. He told Dr. Alakbarov that has become so proficient at the language that he is now translating various Uzbek books into Pashto, including a book written by the President of Uzbekistan.
"My future dream is to continue doing research in Uzbek language and literature. I also want to educate the younger generation in my home country and to serve the bright future of Afghanistan." Returning to the UN country office in Afghanistan at the end of the joint mission to Termez, Resident Coordinator Dr. Alakbarov felt inspired from what he saw and hopeful despite the challenges ahead.
Afghanistan remains at a critical juncture. The road ahead for many Afghans may be uncertain, but the joint mission highlighted that the people of Afghanistan can turn to their neighbor to the north for support and solidarity during this extraordinary time.
Together with other regional UN agencies and partners, the Resident Coordinator’s team in Afghanistan is more determined than ever to scale up its operations and ensure that no one is left behind.
"We are not going to stop. We are going to deliver more and reach every family in Afghanistan." This story was written by Iona Allan of the UN Development Coordination Office with inputs from UN Afghanistan and UN Uzbekistan. To learn more about the UN humanitarian response in Afghanistan, please read this story. To learn more about the results of our work in this area and beyond, please read the latest UNSDG Chair Report on DCO.
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08 March 2022
24.4 million people need humanitarian assistance now Afghanistan. Half are women & girls – these are their stories of struggle and defiance
Women’s access to safe outdoor spaces is limited in Jalalabad. When Marzia, a woman community leader, heard about the intervention by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and its partners in her community, she started a campaign to convince all local men and women to vote for a women’s park to be built. This community project indeed passed a vote and Jalalabad now has a green area for women.
“Women decided to build a park here in our community, because they recognized the importance of a green area for women. Now we have taken a step towards true humanity, in which all women and men have the same right and responsibilities,” said a local man in Jalalabad. Community leaders like Marzia played an active role in advocating for the initiative, but also in the project planning, implementation and monitoring.
On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Marzia to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
“I listened to the dangers of early marriage and decided to spare Shabana from what happened to my first daughter. My husband, however, did not want to listen to me.” Shabana is 13 and her mother did not give up on protecting here, but rather sought advice at one of the safe centres run by the Spotlight Initiative and its partners in Herat province.
Counsellors at the centre spoke to Shabana’s father about all the unpleasant aspects of early marriage and the responsibilities of a father to protect his daughters. At the safe centre, Shabana and her family also received food and her father got a small job selling vegetables. He now is no longer interested in marrying off Shabana.
At this moment, 24.4 million people in Afghanistan, more than half of the country’s population, need humanitarian assistance. This dire crisis is pushing many families to resort to desperate measures like child labour and early marriage. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with teenage girls like Shabana to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Zahra was top of her class and an inspiration to other students at the tailoring sessions provided by the United Nations International Labour Organization in Mazar-i-Sharif. A difficult financial situation forced Zahra and her family to live in a tent. But her commitment to learning new skills and her talent for tailoring helped Zahra pull herself and her family out of poverty.
Within 8 months of completing the training course, Zahra’s new income had paid for the construction of a room where she could live with her family. She also managed to scale-up her tailoring business and bought a motorcycle, now used by her husband to deliver goods to the market. By the end of the year, Zahra hopes to be able to add another room to her quarters, improving the living conditions of her family. Her ambition is to help her children receive the education that she always dreamt they would have.
No one should be forced to live in a tent, but when this happens, the United Nations is there to ensure that people have what they need to pull themselves out of poverty and into a better life. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Zahra to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
“Every morning when we used to take the cows to the pasture, I would go to the hill in front of the boys’ school and watch the school. I loved school before I knew what school meant,” said Basmina, who grew up in Khost province. The school was too far away from Basmina’s village and her father was worried that she would not be safe, and that the community would judge their family.
One day, Fariba, a teacher in a literacy programme run by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and its partners across Afghanistan, came to their house. Fariba was looking for girls like Basmina, eager to learn how to read and write, to join her literacy class. Basmina’s mother again faced the reluctance of her husband, but this time she did not give up – the school was established in their village and the teachers were all women. Years passed and Basmina graduated from university – top of her class. Now, she works as Lead Adviser for an international organization in Afghanistan. None of this would not have been possible if Fariba – Basmina’s first teacher – had not knocked on her door all those years ago.
On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women and girls like Basmina, her mother, and her dedicated teacher, Fariba, to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Nabila and her family were forced to leave their home due to insecurity in their province. In 2007, they returned to Afghanistan, but their hometown was still not secure enough to allow resettlement, so they found refuge in a camp in Mazar-i-Sharif. While living in the camp, Nabila learnt how to embroider. Previously unemployed, and with her parents in need of medical assistance and unable to work, Nabila is now the sole breadwinner of her family.
Nabila is one of 5.5 million internally displaced Afghans, who have fled their home in search of refuge within their country. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Nabila to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Mansoora used to be a Computer Science student at the University of Balkh, but the fall of the democratically elected government in Afghanistan pushed Mansoora out of the classroom and into her home. Technology has always been her passion, so when the United Nations International Labour Organization offered support, she signed up for a mobile phone repair workshop. Now, she is training other women on how to repair phones, while providing software services for women customers at a shop in Mazar-i-Sharif.
Mansoora is grateful that she can contribute to her family’s income and save money for her education, but she is also eager to get back to university. She dreams of one day running her own repair business. The United Nations stands firm in the belief that women and girls should be able to pursue the education of their choice.
Forced to suffer the consequences of multiple overlapping crises, millions of Afghan students – the country’s future – are out of school. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Mansoora to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Born in a village in Afghanistan, Zarina did everything she could to obtain an education. However, her family only allowed her to attend until the second grade. But her mother did not give up, homeschooling Zarina right through to the twelfth grade. Zarina then moved to a city, studying at tertiary level for three years – until her family decided that she could no longer attend university. Reflecting the determination of her mother before her, Zarina did not give up and continued her degree in Turkmenistan, where she studied Political Science. But she ultimately was forced to stop her studies, due to financial difficulties.
Upon returning to Afghanistan, Zarina found work in a soap factory, and now sometimes leads the production process. In her spare time, Zarina writes poetry – with a series of her poems being published in Europe. Zarina dreams of one day running her own soap factory.
Every day that a girl misses out on an education is a missed opportunity – for them, for their family, for their community. In Afghanistan, 60% of the 4.2 million children not enrolled in school before the recent humanitarian crisis were girls. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Zarina to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Zainap, 17, has two sisters and two brothers. They live in a village in Herat province with their mother, who does all the work in the house, and their father, who is self-employed. When Zainap first came to the Girls Safe Space run by the Spotlight Initiative and its partners, she was very scared. She talked about her father being harsh, shouting and even beating her because she did not yet wish to marry.
The social worker helping Zainap at the Girls Safe Space was able to provide practical advice on how to speak about her worries to her mother and religious leaders. In the end, Zainap’s father understood how terrified she was. The situation slowly improved at home, and Zainap was no longer pushed to get married.
Some 28 per cent of Afghan women aged between 15 and 49 were married before the age of 18. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with teenage girls like Zainap to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing
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08 March 2022
Meet the Afghan women and girls who inspire and motivate us to work every day
“I used to be a university teacher, now I am unemployed,” explains Shukriya, an active member of her community until August 2021 who now finds herself standing in line for food distributed by the World Food Programme. Restrictions on women’s rights, such as the right to work, push many women like Shukriya to line up for food for the first time in their lives, reflecting the shifting face of hunger in Afghanistan.
No one should have to queue for food, but when but when this is necessary, the United Nations is there to ensure that people have what they need to pull themselves out of poverty and into a better life. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Shukriya to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Some 35% of teachers in Afghanistan are women. Currently they are being paid only occasionally – or, as in Shukriya’s case, not paid at all. No durable peace, recovery, or stability is possible without women’s active engagement and participation in their country.
Dr. Razia is the only woman doctor in the COVID-19 ward of a hospital in Kabul – one of the four COVID-19 hospitals supported by the World Health Organization, with assistance from the European Union.
“During the fourth wave of the pandemic, we are seeing increasing number of patients coming to the hospital and the majority of them have comorbidities. As health workers, we continue to look after them even though we operate in extremely difficult circumstances. My role is to save lives and I will continue to serve my people,” says Dr. Razia
Women health workers serve many roles in the health system – doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory experts, epidemiologists, cleaners, interns. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Dr. Razia to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Shamsia, like millions of Afghans, was pushed out of her home by increased levels of insecurity in her town. Along with her parents and sisters, Shamsia now lives in a camp where people like her, who fled their homes in search of refuge within the country, do all they can to build a new life. For Shamsia, the journey from her home started when she was 12 and her parents could no longer afford her education.
Shamsia’s family initially moved to Kabul to pursue better economic opportunities. Now, they live in a camp in Mazar-i-Sharif, where Shamsia learnt how to weave carpets at a training run by the United Nations International Labour Organization. At 27, Shamsia is the sole breadwinner of her family and the head of a business that continues an ancient Afghan tradition.
No one should have to leave their home and choosing to do so is always a hard choice. The United Nations is there to ensure that people have what they need to start their lives anew.
3.5 million Afghans have fled their homes in search of refuge in other parts of the country. On International Women’s Day, as on every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Shamsia to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Amina noticed there was something different about Firoza’s delivery – another baby was on the way. Family Health House guidelines advise midwives like Amina not to attempt to deliver twins alone, but Firoza’s precarious condition meant it would have been too dangerous to transfer her to another facility, and in any case, most had closed due to the deteriorating security situation. Fearing for the well-being of her patient, Amina quickly called the Midwifery Helpline for support.
The Midwifery Helpline from the United Nations Population Fund offers remote mentoring to midwives in Afghanistan, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Launched in 2016, the toll-free number is staffed by two gynecologists and two midwives who provide counselling, referrals, and step-by-step instructions to lead health practitioners through complex, and at times lifesaving, procedures.
On International Women’s Day, as on every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Amina to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
“I love drawing, but my parents cannot afford to buy me any paper or paint,” said Mariam, 16, who lives in Herat province. “Because I can’t go to school now, I just stay at home.” The Spotlight Initiative (SI) in Afghanistan, among other activities, creates safe spaces where girls and women like Mariam can access psychosocial support, learning, and other services during time of insecurity and crisis.
Mariam uses the safe spaces facilitated by the SI and its partners to paint, hoping that one day she will be able to complete her education and become a painter. Mariam’s father is now encouraging other members of his communities to send their girls to these dedicated safe spaces.
For over seven months, teenage girls across Afghanistan have been forbidden from attending school. On International Women’s Day and every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with teenage girls like Mariam to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Hamida had worked in Afghanistan as a prosecutor, independent investigator, and civil society leader for more than 16 years. Like many across the country, the women’s protection shelter Hamida used to run is now closed. This shelter, run in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, hosted women and their children who would otherwise have remained trapped with the perpetrator of the abuse from which they fled. At these shelters, women learn how to read and write and acquire new skills that allow them to become economically independent. They also receive counselling to overcome trauma and interact with each other, sharing their stories in a healing way.
Today, Hamida is still in Afghanistan, advocating for the rights of Afghan women and girls. She is in daily contact with the women who used to come to her shelter. She offers counselling over the telephone, but she knows that this is not enough for those women who are locked in with their abusers.
It is estimated that 9 out of 10 Afghan women will experience some form of domestic violence during their lifetime. The United Nations in Afghanistan is advocating alongside women like Hamida for the reopening of life-saving services like women’s protection centres across the country.
“I want to be a pilot one day,” notes Fazila – like many of her women colleagues works at the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) managed by the World Food Programme. UNHAS flies where and when no one else can, delivering life-saving items like food, and transporting humanitarian experts where they are most needed.
In Afghanistan, UNHAS employs a team of women who are continuing to come to the workplace and provide an essential contribution to their country, despite the hurdles that many women like them now face in Afghanistan – restrictions on their rights to work, to learn, to move. When extreme crisis hits – like the one Afghanistan is currently facing, the United Nations continues to provide safe transport options for aid workers and life-saving assistance to the most hard-to-reach areas.
Some 24.4 million people need humanitarian assistance now in Afghanistan, half of them women or girls. On International Women’s Day, as on every day, the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Fazila to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
Twenty-two years ago, Hamida left Afghanistan in search of better opportunities for her and her family. War had forced her to leave everything behind and migrate to Iran. Hamida worked on a farm and, 16 years after leaving her home, came back to Afghanistan with the vision of running her own farm. Home was where Hamida and her family felt most comfortable – but her native province was still not safe and the economic situation across the country remained dire.
Hamida and her family moved to Mazar-i-Sharif, to a camp for internally displaced persons – people who had to flee their homes but did not cross an international border. Here, her farming skills were improved by the United Nations International Labour Organization, which matched her knowledge with management and financial skills. Now, Hamida is running a small-scale farm.
Although 80 per cent of the world’s food is produced by small-scale farming, the contribution of women farmers is often not maximized. As a farmer running her own farm, Hamida is feeding her family and contributing to her country’s economy. The United Nations in Afghanistan works with women and men to break down the barriers that prevent them from feeding their families, while promoting reinvestment in their livelihood.
Afghans make up one of the largest refugee populations worldwide. There are 2.6 million registered Afghan refugees worldwide, of whom 2.2 million are registered in Iran and Pakistan alone. On International Women’s Day – and every day – the United Nations in Afghanistan stands with women like Hamida to ensure that they have what they need to live a life of their choosing.
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20 December 2021
Parwana’s journey to recovery from severe acute malnutrition.
Malika rolls up her 4-year-old daughter’s sleeve revealing an alarmingly thin arm. Little Parwana came with her mother to the UNICEF-supported health facility at the nick of time. She has little energy, her skin is dry and wrinkled and her cheeks are hollow. She weighs just 9 kgs, while she should be twice that weight at her age and height.
As the nutrition counsellor wraps the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) strip around Parwana’s thin arm - MUAC a simple measurement that allows health workers to quickly determine if a child is acutely malnourished - the diagnosis is confirmed: severe acute malnutrition.
Across Afghanistan, an estimated 3.2 million children under the age of five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this coming year. And UNICEF warns that without urgent action, over 1 million children under the age of 5 are at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition.
As soon as the nutrition counsellor diagnoses Parwana with severe acute malnutrition, her mother goes to the pharmacy to collect 28 sachets of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a fortified peanut paste that helps children recover from malnutrition. UNICEF, the sole provider of RUTF in Afghanistan, has been sending hundreds of thousands lifesaving RUTF sachets all over the country.
According to UNICEF’s tracking data, the number of children treated for severe acute malnutrition increased from about 30,000 children in October to 54,000 children in November.
Even though children like Parwana are now in treatment, the situation is dire for millions who are at risk as families go hungry. After a dry winter, a weak harvest and drought, almost half of the people in Afghanistan do not have enough food to eat. Many don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
Parwana’s mother says that since her husband lost his job, the family has struggled financially. He used to buy chickens from farms and sell them in the market, but some days there are no customers – and no money. On those days, a glass of hot tea and bread is the only sustenance the family has. As a result of prolonged hunger, Parwana’s stomach hurts. She winces and cries when she tries to eat, her mother tells us.
The impact of eating the nutritious peanut paste is almost immediate. Energized by her nourishing RUTF and feeling a little stronger, Parwana begins to interact with people around her. Lifting her head, she gently smiles and squeezes the finger of a UNICEF staff-member at the clinic.
The nutrition counsellor asks Malika to return to the clinic with her daughter in seven days’ time for more tests and more peanut paste. This cycle will continue until Parwaneh is healthy.
Two weeks later, as Parwana comes in for another check-up, she is visibly healthier. Her cheeks are rosier, and she has moved up one centimeter in the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference test and gained a kilogram in weight. She leaves the clinic with another armful of the nourishing peanut paste.
As well as distributing the life-saving RUTF sachets, UNICEF is also doubling the number of nutrition counsellors and mobile health and nutrition teams so that children in the most remote areas can be tested and treated. UNICEF is also providing supplies and funding at 1,400 nutrition sites across the country, where we will support more nurses and health workers to identify and treat children quickly. UNICEF plans to expand these services further in 2022.
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Press Release
07 November 2022
UN IN AFGHANISTAN CALLS FOR URGENT COLLECTIVE CLIMATE ACTION IN THE COUNTRY
KABUL – The Afghan people stand on the precipice of devastating climate projections. As COP27 opens today, the UN in Afghanistan calls for urgent collective action to halt the destructive impact of the altering climate in the country that is one of the least prepared against climate shocks but is ranked the sixth most affected in the world to climate-related threats.
Afghanistan is already prone to frequent natural disasters that cause loss and damage to lives, livelihoods, homes and infrastructure. These existing threats coupled with Afghans’ high dependence on agricultural livelihoods, Afghanistan’s fragile ecosystem, acute environmental degradation, poor socio-economic development and the impact of more than four decades of war have laid the foundation for extreme climate vulnerability.
Droughts in many parts of the country are becoming the norm, and episodic heavy precipitation result in flash floods and landslides. The consequences we are witnessing are severe for not only Afghan lives, but for economic development, food insecurity and migration.
“It is ordinary Afghans who suffer the most when these shocks occur,” said Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and Humanitarian Coordinator. “It is devastating to see the most vulnerable Afghans bear the brunt of environmental disasters, and it is increasingly challenging to build long term resilience and adaptation when we are constantly managing short term crises and in the absence of sufficient adaptation funding.”
Afghanistan has already witnessed several years of drought ravage communities across rural areas and the intense flooding earlier this year provided a snapshot of what is likely to come.
The challenges to building environmental resilience and climate adaptation in Afghanistan are multiple and diverse, complicated by political and governance issues as well as the availability of financial resources.
“In a world of wars, crises and fragmentation – and in the wake of conflict in Afghanistan, all must come together to find concrete solutions to the climate emergency. I encourage Afghanistan’s current de facto administration to take the threat of climate change and environmental degradation seriously, and to harness the great diversity of Afghanistan to bring together all corners of Afghan society to cooperatively address these threats. It will take every Afghan –religious and community leaders, women and men, businesses and farmers, the youth and elders – to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.”
“And still, the Afghan people cannot face this challenge alone. I equally encourage the international community and donors to think boldly and creatively on long-term climate adaptation support for Afghanistan. Regardless of political hurdles, Afghanistan cannot not be left out of climate financing. We will continue to respond to short-term humanitarian shocks, but we must lay a path towards adaptation. Adaptation will save lives and livelihoods.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for COP27 to lay the foundation for faster, bolder climate action in the “crucial decade” ahead, “when the global climate fight will be won or lost.”
“Action for Afghanistan is needed now,” Dr. Alakbarov said. “We cannot wait. Afghans do not have time to wait. It will take all sides finding common ground and common cause to work towards a sustainable future for Afghanistan. We also have to be clear, this problem is not specific to Afghanistan, it is a larger regional issue and not acting in Afghanistan now will create considerable setback in climate action for the entire region.”
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Press Release
12 October 2022
UNHCR, FAO, and UN Women launch a joint initiative to support women-led organizations in Faizabad, Badakhshan Province – Afghanistan.
Badakhshan Province is regularly categorized as facing acute food insecurity under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification 4, with 96 per cent of the population residing in rural areas where residents lack sufficient income-generation opportunities. There has been limited investments in women-focused livelihoods and overall development since 2001.
Speaking during the inauguration of the event, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan - Mr. Ramiz Alakbarov - said the country’s rural areas must be given priority attention with the focus on agricultural-food systems to prevent cycles of hunger. “We must help drive a grass-roots economic recovery which is anchored in the creation of value chains and developing linkages between farmers and food producers and local markets. Empowering women to be at the center of this economic recovery strategy will help to promote equality and improve social and health outcomes.”
The multi-pronged programmatic approach being undertaken under the FAO/UNHCR/UN Women initiative focuses on strengthening local women-led non-government organizations and networks that support women in general and women-headed households in particular with livelihoods and quality of life enhancement related multi-sectoral assistance, mobilizing and organizing women in producer groups and linking them to local markets and microfinance options.
Specifically, the intervention aims to support women-led organizations through improved access to basic services such as health, protection, food security and nutrition while paving the way for self-reliance and resilience through creation of livelihood opportunities.
“The full return of women to work is key to transforming Afghanistan’s economy and lifting the country out of poverty and crisis,” said Ms. Alison Davidian, Representative of UN Women in Afghanistan. “Initiatives like the Women’s Access, Dignity and Advancement (WADA) platform that assist women-led businesses and provide employment opportunities for women across sectors support moving Afghanistan strongly in this direction.”
“UNHCR is pleased for this partnership which aims to strengthen women’s access to critical services while also giving them the opportunity towards having a sustainable livelihood,” said UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, Mr. Leonard Zulu. “WADA works towards creating long-term durable solutions, a key aspect of UNHCR’s programming.”
UNHCR, FAO, UN Women and partners are engaged in area-based programming and a whole-of-community response in all the 34 Provinces across Afghanistan. Faizabad in Badakhshan is UNHCR’s Priority Areas of Return and Reintegration (PARRs) where former refugees and internally displaced persons are going home, and one of the provinces where FAO is currently implementing targeted emergency and resilience initiatives.
“FAO's emergency and resilience assistance covers the immediate and time-critical needs to protect and restore agricultural livelihoods. This increases the resilience of affected populations to withstand current and future shocks. WADA is one way of directly enhancing women's food and nutrition security,” said FAO Representative in Afghanistan, Mr. Richard Trenchard.
UNHCR and FAO are working together in Afghanistan as part of the One UN initiative and within the frameworks of the Support Platform for Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees (SSAR) and the UN Transitional Engagement Framework, to address the needs of refugee returnees, displaced people, and host communities while also engaging in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.
The Women’s Access Dignity and Advancement project is set to run for four years, with the initial phase to be implemented in the first 24 months. Both UNHCR and FAO have contributed USD $1 million each to kick-start the project, while looking to fundraise the USD $18 million balance needed for the scale-up.
WADA is also designed as a multi-sectoral, multi-agency and multi-phased initiative with programming opportunities for more UN agencies and other development partners to be part of the initiative as it progresses. Ends
FAO
Since 2002, FAO’s fully-fledged representation in Afghanistan has been operating in country to rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure, build new dairy and wheat seed industries, improve livestock health, help smallholders diversify their crops and add higher-value products, stem deforestation and help the country mitigate and adapt to climate change, among others.
UN Women
UN Women is on the ground in Afghanistan, supporting Afghan women and girls every day. Our in-country strategy pivots around investing in women—from scaling up lifesaving, support services to supporting women humanitarian workers in the delivery of aid and providing seed capital to women-led businesses. Central to our work remains the goal of rebuilding the Afghan women’s movement.
UNHCR
The UN Refugee Agency has been in Afghanistan for over four decades providing emergency assistance and support to the displaced and returning Afghans.
Media contacts:
Lydia Limbe, FAO
Lydia.Limbe@fao.org
Tel. +93 79 487 4975
Peter Kessler, UNHCR
kessler@unhcr.org
Tel. +93 70 2465 614
Olguta Anghel, UN Women
Olguta.anghel@unwomen.org
Tel. +93 79 859 8429
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Press Release
18 September 2022
ONE YEAR OF GIRLS BEING EXCLUDED FROM HIGH SCHOOL – RENEWED CALL THAT THEY BE ENABLED TO RETURN TO CLASSROOM
“This is a tragic, shameful, and entirely avoidable anniversary,” said Markus Potzel, the acting-head of UNAMA, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
“The ongoing exclusion of girls from high school has no credible justification and has no parallel anywhere in the world. It is profoundly damaging to a generation of girls and to the future of Afghanistan itself,” said the UN envoy, who is also the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan.
When high schools were re-opened to boys on 18 September 2021, the de facto authorities instructed girls to remain at home. It is estimated that more than one million girls have been barred from attending high school over the past year. The Taliban have failed to deliver on various promises that they will enable their return to the classroom. The ban prevents girls attending grades seven to twelve, primarily impacting girls aged between 12 and 18.
The denial of education violates the most fundamental rights of girls and women. It increases the risk of the marginalization, violence, exploitation and abuse against girls and is part of a broader range of discriminatory policies and practices targeting women and girls since the de facto authorities assumed power in the summer of 2021.
The UN yet again calls upon the Taliban to reverse the slew of measures they have introduced restricting Afghan women and girls’ enjoyment of their basic rights and freedoms. The window of opportunity may be narrowing, but we urge them to take concrete steps – such as actively enabling girls to return to high school – that can lift Afghanistan up and give hope to its people.
If the ban on girls attending high school remains, the UN is increasingly concerned that such measures, taken together with other restrictions being placed upon Afghans’ basic freedoms, will contribute to a deepening of the crises facing Afghanistan, including greater insecurity, poverty and isolation.
The onus is on the Taliban to create favourable conditions for peace, inclusion, security, human rights and economic recovery. The international community remains ready to support a government that is representative of all its people and respects their rights.
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Press Release
12 September 2022
UN IN AFGHANISTAN CALLS FOR END TO HARASSMENT OF ITS AFGHAN FEMALE WORKFORCE
There has been an emerging pattern of harassment of Afghan UN female staff by the de facto authorities, including an incident today in which three Afghan women working for the United Nations were singled out and temporarily detained for questioning by armed security agents of the de facto authorities.
The UN calls for an immediate end to all such acts of intimidation and harassment targeting its Afghan female staff, calling on the de facto authorities to reiterate and enforce explicit guarantees for the safety and security of all UN personnel operating in Afghanistan in a manner consistent with Afghanistan’s obligations under international law.
The UN urges the de facto authorities to ensure respect for international human rights obligations for all people in Afghanistan.
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Press Release
31 August 2022
UNITED NATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN RECEIVES AID FROM KAZAKHSTAN AS HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY REMAIN EXTREMELY SEVERE
“The donation is intended to support the United Nation’s humanitarian response to Afghan families struck by the devastating earthquake in June, the current flash floods that have engulfed a third of the country, and other acute and emerging needs,” said Mr. Bakhtiyar Sarsenbay, Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Afghanistan during the handover ceremony in Termez. “Kazakhstan is committed to assist humanitarian efforts in the region and always works to support people in countries facing difficult circumstances, like in Afghanistan.”
More than 24 million people are in need of some form of life-saving humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan due to the consequences of decades of conflict, recurrent environmental shocks, lack of recovery from past disasters, and the political upheaval of a year ago which has contributed to a severe economic crisis.
“The past year was incredibly difficult for the people of Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls who are disproportionally affected. Humanitarian needs have reached unprecedented levels with more than half the population requiring assistance to survive,” said Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan.
“The United Nations is committed to assisting the people of Afghanistan and is extremely grateful to regional countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for their generous support. These supplies received today from the people of Kazakhstan to the people of Afghanistan are invaluable for us to quickly respond to a variety of humanitarian needs,” he added. “We are grateful to the Government of Uzbekistan for providing consistent support through humanitarian hub in Termez and facilitating a steady flow of assistance across its border. This demonstration of solidarity across the region is a beacon of hope in these trying times for Afghanistan.”
The emergency shelter and household items will go to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for urgently needed efforts to prepare for winter, including in the three earthquake affected provinces where people still live in makeshift shelters. The food will go to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution in emergency hotspots, including the earthquake and flood-affected provinces.
The donation by Kazakhstan was handed over to the United Nations in Termez, Uzbekistan, at the International Multifunctional Transport-Logistics Hub, established end of last year with strong support from the Government of Uzbekistan. Since then, the hub has played a critical component in facilitating the movement of humanitarian supplies into Afghanistan for the humanitarian response.
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Follow us on Twitter @unafghanistan @RamizAlakbarov
For more information please contact: Silke von Brockhausen, Head of RC Office (Brockhausen@un.org)
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Latest Resources
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Resources
24 October 2022
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