WASH response for the hard to reach communities in Badghis and Laghman Provinces in severe need of humanitarian assistance. This project is as a response of the AFH 1st Standard Allocation call for partners with the vision categorized in four different themes that will contribute to the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2018 – 2021 strategic objectives. The humanitarian context as summarized by the call for this allocation indicates that up to 66% of the country’s population is in a critical/catastrophic situation for water scarcity with high demand for clean water and hygiene with increased strain existing water supply facilities both in urban and rural settings as result population movements (rural to urban and returnees to rural settings), poor condition of the existing infrastructure owing to years of under investment and the effects of drought. The proposed actions in this project seeks to contribute towards SOP 1 of the HRP 2018/2020 by targeting hard hardest to reach areas while implementing activities as captured under theme 1 of this allocation vision.

IRC Afghanistan proposes 6 months WASH response for the conflict affected communities in Badghis and Laghman Provinces project who are eligible for . activities under theme 1 of the vision allocation. The project seeks to strengthen access to safe drinking water by rehabilitating existing water systems/sources, constructing new ones in locations where no alternative safe source is available to the communities, and strengthening water source management mechanisms for the rehabilitated/constructed water sources by the target communities. 
A hygiene promotion component tailored to the needs of men, women, boys, and girls will also be implemented to raise awareness amongst the communities with a strong emphasis on AWD/Cholera prevention. Further targeted households considered at most at risk (e.g., households with malnourished cases, households with suspected AWD cases based on self-reporting, households with AWD cases discharged recently from health facilities, households with elderly members etc.) of AWD/Cholera infections will also benefit from distribution of hygiene and water kits. The project will be targeted in Badghis province covering Ab Kamari, Bala Murghab, and Qadis districts, and Alingur, and Alishang districts in Laghaman province. Considering the recent Government takeover by the Taliban, IRC will adhere to joint operating principles and will adopt a careful approach while interacting and coordinating with other humanitarian actors in the area. The target local communities will be mobilized and engaged exclusively from the onset. 
The hygiene promotion sessions for women and girls will be conducted at household level in accordance with the local culture. IRC will ensure that issues of protection and Gender Based Violence related to in adequate water access are addressed and mainstreamed through the project period by ensuring awareness raising on equal access to WASH Services for men, women, boys, and girls. IRC will ensure that locally available technology is used, and members of the community are trained on operation and maintenance of the infrastructure installed. The project will directly reach out to 63,000 community members whilst 30% of them will be Internally displaced persons (IDPs).