nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
The WASH challenges for women and girls are multi  faceted. They are exposed to protection threats while fetching water or using unsafe sanitation facilities lacking privacy.
Unmet needs, depleted financial resources and increased debt  ( including debt fuelled by COVID 19 )  are worsening the protection crisis that was already firmly entrenched in Afghanistan.
Though no comprehensive data exists, the HLP TF estimates that less than 5 per cent of land tenure/ownership documents include the name of a female family member.
Unequal access to land is a major cause of gender inequality in Afghanistan, with women being at the bottom.
379 out of 875 mine related casualties were men.
Children are disproportionately affected by explosive hazards, with child casualties making up nearly a third of all civilian casualties in the first nine months of 2020.
At the lower secondary level of education, girls are more than twice as likely  ( 8.3 per cent vs. 4.1 per cent )  to drop out than boys.
A third of elderly headed displaced households reported having a disabled household member and reported carrying more debt on average  ( 57,384 AFN/ $747 )  than other displaced households  ( 44,287AFN/$576 ) .
The 2020 WoA Assessment shows that nearly a fifth of shock affected households reported behavioural changes, indicating signs of distress and mental health problems as a result of the pandemic.
In addition to killing and maiming, the psychological trauma, stress and anxiety associated with the ongoing conflict has been compounded by the impact of COVID 19 economic pressure and loss of livelihoods.
In 2021, some 2.6 million children  ( 1,593,064 boys and 1,020,946 girls )  are in need of EiE assistance.
More than one  third of large traders reported disruptions in exporting agricultural products due to border blockages, coupled with government regulations and reduced volume/demand at the export destinations.
More than one third of farmers reported challenges in selling produce  ( dairy, fruits, vegetables, honey )  due to market closures.
Women reported to have left their documentation in their AOO during displacement, or to have been restricted by male relatives to apply.
It is projected that in 2021 there will be 894,000 children under five with SAM; 2.22 million children under five with MAM; and 723,000 acutely undernourished PLW.
COVID 19 can exacerbate the effects of malnutrition in mothers and children.
In cases in Jawzjan, host community members were observed providing food, water, shelter and non food item  ( NFI )  support to the IDPs.
Humanitarian partners providing awareness and prevention messaging on COVID 19 are encouraged to partner with general protection, CP and GBV specialized agencies to include key messages on the rights of specific groups.
Health actors are recommended to consider establishing/expanding mobile outreach into rural host communities and informal settlements to improve community access to basic and affordable healthcare.
CP partners are recommended to engage community leadership and community based networks in longer term training support for identifying and reducing protection risks within their communities.
In Wardak, while health facilities were available and functioning in urban centers assessed, community members reported that they were in poor condition and lacked trained staff and basic medications.
In addition, there were 50 attacks on schools in the first 10 months of 2020 alone.
Increasing influenza vaccine coverage can reduce the strain on the health care system and free up limited health resources to focus on treating more severe cases of COVID 19.
Community members reported that as a result, up to 100 conflict  affected persons with specific needs did not reach the AOD, putting them at additional risk due to both safety concerns due to the shock as well as limited caretakers due to the displacement.
Additionally, within a displacement caseload in Herat, community members reported that persons living with disabilities and elderly persons faced challenges during the displacement process in maintaining their safety, as a result of limited mobility.
This is especially challenging during the pandemic where women bear a high care burden, exposing them to increased risk of contracting the virus.
Women are the most vulnerable when it comes to accessing health care.
Health facilities, including secondary and tertiary structures, are often understaffed, under trained, and under resourced.
The lack of resources and capacity within the public health system, coupled with hidden costs for private care and medicines, additionally undermine access to healthcare in Afghanistan.
While national capacity for COVID 19 testing has topped 5,500 samples a day, fear of approaching health facilities has meant that fewer than 400 tests are actually being conducted daily.
Additionally, while 14 laboratories are now operating in Afghanistan, the capacity of these facilities remains limited and stocks of supplies have periodically run out.
The 2020 SFSA shows that the current scale of acute food insecurity in the country is now comparable to the situation faced in 2018 2019 – the worst year for food insecurity in recent memory which resulted from a devastating drought.
Insecure land tenure concerns remain a challenge on many fronts, mainly presenting risks for eviction, exploitation, or rights violations, as well as driving land and shelter disputes.
According to the 2020 WoA Assessment, shock  affected people have reported shelter to be their second highest priority need after food.
The 2020 WoA Assessment also showed that recent returnee and IDP households had the highest rate of boys working outside the home  ( some 13 per cent ) .
Recent returnees and refugees have similarly high proportions of girls and boys not enrolled in school  ( 75 and 76 per cent for girls, respectively, and 59 per cent for boys in both population groups ) .
Children with disabilities – especially girls – are also disadvantaged with parents less likely to pursue their education.
Households headed by an elderly person also carry more debt on average  ( 57,384 AFN/$745 )  than other displaced households  ( 44,287 AFN/$575 ) .
In hard to reach districts, additional factors such as functionality of education facilities and cultural practices which do not promote education, especially for girls, make access to learning even more challenging.
There is already a reduced workforce capacity with affected health workers not having fully recovered.
The informal, yet widespread application of user fees appears to be a primary barrier to access to healthcare.
Donors and responding agencies are recommended to support increased integration of psychosocial support  ( PSS )  into livelihood interventions, including cash and voucher assistance.
In 2020, more than 500,000 returnees have been screened for infectious diseases with 2 per cent identified to have tuberculosis.
Debt puts an especially heavy burden on those with insecure land tenure who would face increased challenges to pay rent and keep a roof over their head.
Compounded by a worsening negative median net income  (  500 AFN ) , these findings point to a cyclical dynamic of ever worsening debt, with decreased resilience and minimal ability to absorb further shocks in the future as a consequence.
On a more individual level, households continue to contend with a daily process of weighing the risks associated with leaving their homes and the need to access basic services, including the risks related to explosive hazards.
Daily life is also dominated by fear both because of the dangers of moving around a war zone but also fear over catching COVID 19 and the related financial stress facing many households.
Women in displacement are particularly vulnerable.
Even before COVID 19, nearly 20 per cent of Afghan people perceived violence as the biggest problem facing women.
At the same time the percentage of urban households using emergency coping strategies has gone from 11.7 per cent in 2019 to 30 per cent in the second half of 2020.
Although prices for staple food items have largely stabilised towards the end of 2020, they remain well above the price points prior to the COVID 19 crisis.
While the impact of these changes is varied, 62 per cent of displaced households report that the head of household felt so upset or distressed that it affected their ability to work or carry out household chores over the two weeks prior to data collection.
According to Human Rights Watch, four decades of war has left Afghanistan with one of the world's highest per capita populations of people with disabilities, including many with amputations, vision or hearing problems.
While planning is well advanced in country, it seems unlikely that universal vaccination will be possible in 2021, meaning that virus risks will remain part of the operating context for the foreseeable future.
An estimated 14,840 children have missed out on critical treatment for SAM due to parents' fear of attending fixed facilities, exacerbating already elevated levels of malnutrition in the country.
As previously reported, a health facility able to serve 30,000 people remains closed due to ongoing clashes.
Some 39 per cent of people living in informal settlements report being unable to afford construction materials or labour.
Some 46 per cent of IDPs reside in informal settlements where 7 per cent are in tents, open space or makeshift shelter, and 6 per cent in unfinished houses.
While construction materials and household items are available in major urban centres, they remain unaffordable to many.
Women and girls living in sub standard and overcrowded shelters are also more vulnerable generally. They often do not feel safe in makeshift shelters which do not offer privacy, safety and protection.
The situation is more severe in Nimroz, Ghor, Badakhshan, Jawzjan and Parwan provinces where between 93 per cent and 96 per cent of displaced households report not having access to a heating device.
Displaced households struggle to absorb the cost of rent as displacement becomes prolonged and job opportunities remain low.
Additionally, of the 72,000 refugees in humanitarian need in Afghanistan, at least 78 per cent have critical shelter and NFI needs.
The onset of the COVID 19 pandemic has overwhelmed the country's fragile health system, requiring a rapid re orientation of public health priorities and resourcing, and resulting in cascading impacts on the short  and longer term health of the population.
In a worrying trend, the number of civilian casualties from PPIEDs saw a 44 per cent increase in the first nine months of 2020, in comparison to the same period in 2019; the number of civilians killed by them has more than doubled.
A joint study by Ministry of Public Health  ( MOPH ) , Johns Hopkins and WHO suggested that by June 2020, COVID 19 had infected more than 30 per cent of the population nationally  ( 50 per cent of Kabul residents )  and was likely to grow.
Due to limited public health resources and testing capacity, lack of people coming forward for testing, as well as the absence of a national death register, confirmed cases of and deaths from COVID 19 are likely to be significantly under reported in official figures in Afghanistan.
Each month, approximately 97 civilians are killed or injured by mines, including IEDs and explosive remnants of war  ( ERW )
The economic impact of COVID 19 is also translating into increased criminal activity particularly in Afghanistan's major centres.
Widespread, sporadic conflict continues to inflict physical trauma and mental distress on the people of Afghanistan.
Of key informants assessed as part of separate informal settlements data collection efforts, 51 per cent reported that work had completely stopped for most residents.
Approximately 33 per cent of schools  ( or nearly 6,000 schools, serving 2.3 million students )  lack water and WASH facilities that are critical to keep children safe from COVID 19.
According to WoA Assessment data, the percentage of displaced households with any debt has increased from 71 per cent to 84 per cent  ( 2019 compared to 2020 ) .
Lack of handwashing stations makes physical distancing challenging when children eventually do regularly return to school fulltime.
The absence of girls due to the lack of female teachers creates a self perpetuating cycle, with few girls able to qualify to become teachers in the future, creating potential generational consequences.
Enrolment rates among IDP, cross border returnee and refugee children were even worse with 67 per cent of school aged girls and 55 per cent of school aged boys out of school.
While the education system was significantly disrupted by COVID 19 in 2020, it faced challenges even before the outbreak, which are likely to be compounded when schools attempt to fully re open in 2021.
In addition, households headed by a person with a disability may face higher hygiene needs, as only 58 per cent report having sufficient quantities of water for handwashing  ( compared to 67 per cent of other households ) .
From March 14 to April 30 – the period of the sharpest decrease following the lockdown – the average terms of trade between casual labor and wheat flour deteriorated by 18 percent.
Given that labor wages declined and prices of wheat flour increased, the average terms of trade between casual labor wages and wheat flour significantly deteriorated between February and March, and further deteriorated in April.
Between 14 and 17 March, the average price of low quality wheat flour in main urban cities increased by 10 percent to reach 32 Afghan Afghani  ( AFN ) /kg according to daily WFP price monitoring. Since then, the average price of low  quality wheat flour has reached 35 AFN/kg, with the sharpest increases observed in March.
Decades of conflict have trapped civilians in a pervasive protection crisis where people's rights to safety, security and well being under international law are regularly threatened. Gross violations of IHL and IHRL continue to have a huge impact on civilians, causing high levels of casualties, psychological trauma, and displacement, and creating urgent humanitarian needs.
Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous countries to be an aid worker. As of 15 December 2020, the HAG reported that 21 aid workers had been killed, 51 injured and 108 abducted.
The ability of affected people to access humanitarian assistance continues to be impeded by a combination of often overlapping challenges, including conflict, COVID 19, cultural barriers, and physical constraints.
Almost two thirds of key informants in assessed hard to reach settlements report having no access to nutrition services.
Enrolment rates among IDP, cross border returnee and refugee children were even worse with 55 per cent of school aged boys and 67 per cent of school aged girls out of school.
The 2020 WoA Assessment indicated that displaced women headed households reported relying on loans for income at a higher rate than male headed households  ( 32 per cent compared to 16 per cent ) .
COVID 19 has particularly impacted women who have suffered a decrease in income generating opportunities, risking their access to essential services such as healthcare, food, water, and protection.
Shelter issues reported by displaced households include a lack of insulation  ( 59 per cent ) , leaking during rain  ( 44 per cent ) , poor ventilation  ( 36 per cent )  and presence of dirt or debris attributed to use of sub standard materials  ( 15 per cent ) .
Shelter needs for displaced households remain critical as 28 per cent report living in shelters which are either significantly damaged or destroyed.
Despite these constraints, humanitarians continue to stay and deliver with a surprising increase in overall reach during the pandemic.
Other humanitarian partners  ( UNICEF, SCI, ACTED, DACAAR )  are mobilising resources to support in the areas of multi purpose cash, food, NFI and hygiene assistance.
Compliance with COVID 19 preventative measures is not possible for the majority of displaced families, exposing vulnerable people and hosting communities to heightened risks.
Many families have been affected by multiple conflict events and reportedly show little inclination to return to their areas of origin, even if relative improvements in the security situation were to take place.
The displacement is happening in a context where COVID 19 continues to spread.
Humanitarian Impact: The majority of IDPs are sheltering with relatives or in rental accommodation, but others are staying in makeshift shelters or open spaces throughout Kunduz city. The IDPs' living conditions are dire. The most urgent needs are food, shelter and safe drinking water.
At the national level, low quality wheat flour prices in March increased 21 percent compared to February according to WFP market monitoring data  ( Figure 2 ) . Prices in March were 35 percent higher than the five year average and 28 percent higher than prices at the same time last year. This increase was largely driven by increased demand after 14 March as the government imposed lockdown measures across the country.
Ghor is one of the most food insecure provinces in Afghanistan due to continued conflict, natural disasters and prolonged drought.
Life has been a little easier for both families since they received cash grants from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to build their own homes.
Access to the legal services and renting of lands are other challenges faced by the IDPs.
Awareness activities targeting the prevalent negative copying mechanisms and child protection concerns
Advocacy to Government and Humanitarian actors to priorities livelihood and cash programing to help address the negative coping mechanism and some of the safety and security risks.
Medical concerns reports have increased in March reporting, this indicates a need to advocate for increase in medical services within the site.
Since 21 August, Spin Boldak crossing point has been open seven days a week for pedestrians and commercial trucks.
To ensure designated COVID 19 hospitals and staff are able to perform to best of their ability, WHO has provided the Ministry with essential COVID 19 medical supplies and equipment for isolation centres and ICUs.
So far, 328 PoE staff have been trained, while a total of 1 792 890 travellers have been screened at various PoEs and provincial check points, through WHO's support.
WHO has been supporting the training and capacity building of points of entry  ( PoE )  staff on screening and provision of health awareness.
1,890 people in protracted displacement, host communities and recent returnees from Iran received cash assistance and COVID 19 prevention information in Maymana city, Faryab province.
A total of 7,963 returnees, IDPs and people from host communities were reached with emergency outpatient health services and 6,844 children were vaccinated for polio and measles.
A total of 25,480 people received humanitarian assistance including IDPs, undocumented returnees, and people who received food aid as part of the COVID 19 response.
Seven people were reportedly killed and 12 more wounded by IEDs in four provinces in the West.
In Uruzgan, armed clashes were ongoing in the Dehrawud district. According to initial reports, 7,000 people were displaced within Dehrawud while the number of people displaced in Gizab is yet to be confirmed.
The flow of returns remained highest during March and April 2020 in comparison with previous trends because of the COVID 19 pandemic, especially from Iran. High rate of return and decrease in remittances should be monitored, as these will affect food access and further saturate an already stressed urban labour market.
Afghanistan already entered in the flooding season, so measures should be taken to avoid loss of lives and livelihoods.
Food insecurity can further deteriorate both during the current and projected periods, due to possible economic impacts of COVID 19 on production and markets.
According to the internal displacement monitoring centre  ( iDMC )  there were 2,993,000 IDPs in Afghanistan in December 2019.
The most significant challenges to the implementation of humanitarian activities in Afghanistan continue to be ongoing fighting, attempts at interference in programme design, and levy requests by parties to the conflict. While there always have been some limitations on movement due to conflict, these constraints reached new heights with government imposed lockdown measures following the COVID 19 outbreak.
Floods, storms and drought continue to pose risks, accounting for many of those requiring humanitarian assistance and requiring investment in prevention and mitigation efforts by development partners and the Government.
The Norwegian Refugee Council  ( NRC )  for example, had a programme to deliver home based education to over 10,000 children during the pandemic. Saida Sherzad, an Education Specialist at the NRC, told AAN:
Afghanistan faces one of the world's most acute internal displacement crises as it suffers from protracted conflict, ongoing insecurity, the global COVID 19 pandemic, and natural hazards such as droughts, floods and earthquakes.
The households that do not have access to land and are unable to cultivate will rely on markets for their food needs.
There are various factors limiting crop production at the household level. Crop pests and diseases, damaged irrigation systems, problems accessing seed and fertilizer are among the major agriculture challenges that farmers faced in 2020.
High rates of returns and a decrease in remittances should be monitored, as it will affect food access and further saturate the already stressed urban labour market.
The cancellation of international flights also led to disruptions to freight delivery, which caused delays and cancellations in importing medicines and other humanitarian supplies.
Poor livelihoods infrastructure, insecurity and a lack of investment in diverse livelihood opportunities keep people food insecure even in the absence of major natural shocks.
Prolonged exposure to conflict, the impact of COVID 19 on economic activities, not only within the country, but also on remittances from abroad, and exposure to natural hazards, continue to affect the food security situation in Afghanistan.
A third  ( 36 per cent )  of all displaced households report no access to trauma care.
The first covid 19 case in Afghanistan was identified and confirmed on 24th February 2020.
Since February 2020, the COVID 19 crisis has fueled the return of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees, both voluntarily and involuntarily, to Afghanistan from countries such as Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Article 22.2 declares that: “women and men have certain rights and duties before the law'. Article 40.2 declares that: “No one shall be forbidden from acquiring and holding property, unless limited by the provisions of law'
As detailed in Table 1, The Land Management Law, the Occupancy Certificate law  ( see HLP legal brief 1 ) , and the PD 305 on land allocation  ( see HLP legal brief 2 )  also include important components to promote gender equitable land rights.
Given its social, economic and cultural importance, equitable access to land is key to securing sustainable gains in Afghan women's empowerment.
Land is often viewed as more than an economic asset: as a source of cultural prestige and influence. Hence, the exclusion of women from land ownership contributes to their marginalisation in wider cultural and political dialogues, particularly in decision making fora at the household and community level.
Any investments made on male owned property that increase its value or income generating potential entrenches the economic marginalisation women. This has implications for humanitarian and development interventions that invest in upgrading housing, or provide agricultural services, such as fertiliser or irrigation.
While in practice women have insecure land rights in Afghanistan, in principle there are a number of legal frameworks that protect women's land rights, including the 2004 Constitution and various other laws  ( Table 1 ) .
The Civil Code provides guaranteed rights of ownership and inheritance of land to both men and women.
While borders with Pakistan have reopened for commercial traffic, aid agencies continue to emphasise the critical importance of maintaining a reliable flow of traffic for humanitarian cargo and are advocating for special consideration to expedite humanitarian food and relief items through border crossings. Aid workers have also adopted physical distancing and other measures to safeguard staff and people receiving assistance.
Although there are various assessments and definitions of IDPs in Afghanistan, IDPs are mainly categorized under new, prolonged or protracted IDPs.
Lack of pasture and fodder, high prices of fodder and concentrated animal feed, lack of access to veterinary services, and access to water are the main challenges households are facing.
A deterioration of the livestock productivity for 48% of breeders compared to the same period last year is also reported.
Though no accurate data exist, the HLPTF estimates that less that 5 per cent of land tenure/ownership documents include the name of a female family member.
Of those restrictions imposed, the halting of public gatherings was most widely reported, but by July in Ghor, 94% of respondents relayed that no measures were imposed, and Faryab had the highest proportion  ( 84% )  of respondents unaware of whether restrictions had been imposed at all.
The impacts are not just economic. More people at home also means that the burden of unpaid care and domestic work has increased for women and girls.
Survey findings show that accessing health care is a challenge for the vast majority of the population. Respondents noted longer waiting times at the doctor, an inability to seek medical care when needed, and reduced access to medical supplies, hygiene products, and food.
Partial border closures with Pakistan and Iran have affected the main supply routes for critical items, notably, food.
The EU also funds education in emergencies projects for children who were forced out of school due to conflict or displacement.
Since January 2020, severe weather conditions – including heavy snowfall, flash floods and avalanches – have affected more than 41,000 people, damaging over 3,500 houses in 26 provinces across the country.
While there was an agreement in principle to facilitate humanitarian movement during the lockdown, uniform implementation has proven difficult.
With the support of the Sehatmandi project and its predecessor project in the health section, the System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition Program  ( SEHAT ) , health indicators have seen significant improvement.
In terms of subproject implementation, 2,880 subprojects had been completed and more than 6,300 projects are underway. There are also 28 joint projects that are ongoing across 92 communities.
The COVID 19 pandemic and subsequent containment measures have had a significant negative impact on the already fragile Afghan economy.
To tackle this spread of misinformation, the Ministry of Public Health, with World Bank support,implemented awareness campaigns, disseminating life saving messages, encouraging self quarantine, social distancing, wearing face masks, frequent handwashing and advising against ineffective and harmful treatments to ward off the disease.
By mid June, over 80 tons of essential supplies, including personal protective equipment  ( PPE )  for medical workers, had been airfreighted by UNICEF to Kabul, as part of this grant.
The return of nearly 300,000 Afghan migrant workers since February fromPakistanandIran, one of the virus' global epicentres, appears to have overwhelmed the government's attempts to contain an outbreak.
Daily cleaning and disinfection latrines/ toilets/ showers, including door handle, lock and frequent touch points with detergent and then 0.2% chlorine solution  ( Relevant in communal sanitation facilities where applicable in Afghanistan ) .
Set up queuing systems for WASH facilities  ( >1m )   ( latrines, shower, water points ) .
Ensure access to water to the most vulnerable groups, option for short term subsidies.
Ensure WHO standards are met for water quality  ( FRC > 0.5mg/L ) .
Even before the pandemic, Afghanistan's health care capacity was falling short.
Save the Children is calling for the borders to remain open for commercial and humanitarian imports as well as supply routes within the country. This would help keep inflation in check while allowing aid agencies to distribute life saving food and medicine where it is needed most.
Large sections of the population depend on casual labour and jobs that are particularly vulnerable to lockdowns and social distancing measures, such as working in markets and selling goods in shops and on the street.
Even before COVID 19 emerged, 93 percent of Afghan households survived on less than $2 per day so the vast majority of families have virtually no capacity to absorb the economic shock of COVID 19 and the resulting loss of livelihoods.
Several border crossings remain open and thousands of Afghans on average are crossing every day.
All COVID 19 response and recovery plans should take into accountand tackle gender specific barriers to women and girls' access to education.
Programmes to address the wide  spread problem of child stunting also remain low in priority and scale.
( 3 )  ensuring that curriculum and teachers integrate gender equality and women's rights as an educational priority; and  ( 4 )  ensuring recruitment of more women teachers, in line with previous efforts of the Government including a plan to recruit 30,000 female teachers. [ 65 ]
The hospital has a maternity ward where about 80 100 babies are born every day. These mothers are sensitized by FMVs on polio and other childhood preventable diseases.
Assessments are ongoing in Chak, Daymirdad and Jalrez districts. On 29 Aug additional assessment teams were deployed  ( now four teams in total )  in Wardak to speed up the assessment process.
Families already living in poverty, many of whom are IDPs or returnees, have little ability to weather a new crisis. They will be most under pressure to relieve financial crises through child labor or child marriage.
Germany is supporting a project run by Johanniter International Assistance to provide basic medical care in Gulan refugee camp on the border with Pakistan.
The COVID 19 pandemic poses serious systemic risks to Afghanistan's education system, and to attention to girls' education by donors.
Remedial education for girls and other children who need it  should be offered to recover education time lost during the closures.
The protracted closures of schools, and the lack of adequate distance learning measures, severely impacted children's learning, particularly impacting Afghanistan's most marginalized children
In addition to learning loss, school closures are also affecting girls' health and safety through loss of access to essential services and social protection mechanisms.
On 14 March 2020, as a measure to curb the spread of COVID 19, all schools and educational institutions in Afghanistan were closed.
Invest in increasing water availability through development of water schemes and associated technical assistance for operations and management, including water service provision for hand washing.
In 2020, the Health Cluster estimates as many as 250,000 Afghans will require emergency medical treatment as a result of continued conflict. An additional 320,000 IDPs displaced by conflict will need assistance, along with over 72,000 refugees living in Khost and Paktika who need emergency primary health care including maternal and child care, vaccination, and mental health services.
Increase water storage capacity  ( at household level as well as at water fetching point )  to limit water collection requirements and allow frequent hand washing practices as well as regular cleaning and disinfection.
Preparation of action plans to significantly increase access to safe water supply outside of the areas served by piped networks through contracts with local private sector or community based organizations, as appropriate and based on context.
Work with service providers and local and national authorities to monitor supply chains  ( for critical inputs, like chlorine for water treatment, Reverse osmosis replaceable components  ( WVI reverse osmosis projects in Badghis! )  or fuel for continued pumping )  and potential impacts on services.
Ensure water provision for drinking, hand washing, cleaning and disinfection  ( at least 40–60 litres per in  patient per day, 5 litres per outpatient, additional quantities may be needed for laundry equipment, flushing toilets, etc. – as per the Sphere standards and Afghanistan National Guidelines for WASH in Emergency  ( ANGWE ) .
Currently, many schools are unable to meet the minimum requirements to keep children safe due to the lack of washing and sanitation facilities, including lack of running water.
Procurement is led by the World Food Programme  ( WFP )  and United Nations Children's Fund  ( UNICEF )  with funding from various donors, such as Food for Peace/United States Assistance of International Development  ( USAID )  and pooled funding through the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund  ( AHF ) .
For Afghanistan, in a ‘normal' year, 13 per cent of all deaths among children under five are associated with diarrhoeal diseases.
Disputes over land pose immediate protection and early recovery challenges in humanitarian operations.
Direct conflict and the lack of sufficient rehabilitative care have left many victims permanently disabled  ( an estimated 47 per cent of all trauma cases in 2019 ) .
The cumulative impact of conflict and natural disaste  driven shocks; loss of employment and reduced income; and elevated food prices  ( that have stagnated at raised levels since the drought in 2018 )  has resulted in high levels of food insecurity and eroded livelihoods in Afghanistan. This has negatively affected the survival, living standards and resilience capacities of millions of people.
2019 WOA Assessment shows Uruzgan to be the province with the highest proportion of displaced households reporting violence targeting women, children or boys in the 3 months prior to data collection.
In the WOA Assessment, female headed displaced households were more vulnerable in relation to unstable income sources, employment, and access to markets
According to the WOA Assessment, 70 per cent of cross border returnees reported that after they returned from Iran or Pakistan, they were not able to remain in their initial return location but were actually displaced within Afghanistan again.
The WOA assessment found that 56 per cent of IDP households reported a combination of active conflict, anticipated conflict, and natural disaster  ( slow or sudden onset )  caused their displacement.
With extremely low availability of psychosocial support services and repeated exposure to traumatic shocks, recovery opportunities are likely to be minimal, with people instead resorting to negative coping mechanisms.
Tazkeras are required to get a registered mobile phone SIM card which, in turn, is required to open a mobile banking account. Sixty nine per cent of displaced households in which no one had a Tazkera reported that they also didn't have a mobile phone with a registered sim card, compared to 43 per cent of other displaced households
The closure of schools exacerbates the burden of unpaid homecare responsibilities for young girls, who usually absorb the additional load of supervising other children in Afghanistan.
In a country where some 3.7 million children are already out of school and do not have regular access to primary education, COVID 19 increases the probability of permanent dropouts and affects children's general wellbeing.
20 newly arrived, leased Kamaz trucks have taken up service and WFP's fleet now has reached 106 trucks, up from 76 in January 2020. The ability of the new all  terrain trucks to reach difficult to access locations easier is particularly important in view of WFP's winterization efforts.
Initial results of the ongoing Integrated Food Security Phase Classification indicate a substantial increase of people experiencing severe food insecurity across the country, including a high number of people in in emergency  ( IPC4 ) .
As part of general food distributions, WFP distributed 83 mt of specialized nutritious foods to prevent the malnutrition of 10,927 girls and boys and 6,716 pregnant and lactating women  ( PLW ) .
Reductions in remittances from Iran to Afghanistan due to the economic situation are having a dire effect on the economy.
Containment measures had sporadically hampered some humanitarian activities at the beginning of the pandemic as well as slowing down some operations.
IDPs need food aid  ( OCHA 27/08/2020 ) .
IDPs need clean water, as well as sanitation and hygiene aid  ( OCHA 27/08/2020 ) .
Insecurity, gender imbalances, and lack of government revenue severely limit the availability of even the most basic healthcare for most Afghans – and the situation has become particularly acute during the COVID 19 Pandemic.
To this end, FAO acted early with campaigns in 17 major livestock and agriculture markets across Afghanistan. Together, these markets provide an income for more than 30 000 vendors and serve over 125 000 customers each year.
FAO has been working to support vulnerable farmers inAfghanistanand prevent the spread ofCOVID 19in agricultural markets across the country.
Amid government responses to the Covid 19 pandemic, millions of children around the world have faced school closures, and many are struggling to keep up their studies. But few governments were as poorly prepared as Afghanistan, where schools are closed until at least September.
The COVID 19 pandemic poses one of the biggest threats to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal  ( SDG )  4 of quality education for all globally by 2030. This is also true for Afghanistan, as the pandemic and its impact exacerbate an already dire situation owing to the ongoing conflict.
Fully recognizing the potential of schools to contribute to the accelerated spread of COVID 19, the Ministry of Education closed all learning facilities on March 14, 2020 as part of a battery of actions instituted by the Government of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has made remarkable progress in education over the past two decades.
The International Rescue Committee is also piloting Safer Cash programming in Afghanistan and has seen strong interest from a number of partners that are considering participating in 2020, though training for the toolkit's introduction may need to be moved to online platforms given COVID 19 restrictions.
Refugee families, with limited community support, may find themselves in difficult circumstances more quickly than other population groups.
From April to June 2020, the United Nations and its partners cleared 2.97 square km of land contaminated by high impact explosives, benefiting 12 communities. Approximately 104,162 people received risk education.
National staff continue to work and humanitarian organisations report that their field presence largely is being maintained and that organisations are committed to staying and delivering for people in need.
Education facilities are not realistically expected to reopen before September, and even then, presumably gradually, assuming there is evidence of reduced infection rates and increased capacity for testing and treatment. Ensuring some degree of continuity of teaching and learning for millions of students and the timely and safe reopening of schools require innovative solutions.
Currently, approximately 12,000 refugees reside in Gulan settlement in Khost, while the remainder of the refugees from North Waziristan in Pakistan live among communities outside the settlement, in Khost or in neighboring Paktika.
With the surge in cases and the daily testing capacity is still estimated to be at around only 30% of the planned testing capacity. While the current plan envisages an increase of daily test to 3,000, the current number is less than 1,000.
By mid  July, more than three quarters of prisons had reported positive cases of COVID  19 among inmates and staff.
The 2019 Hard To Reach Assessment found that “inaccessibility due to physical constraints' was strongly linked to lower access to education, health, and WASH facilities, as well as to markets with basic supplies.
Electricity is unreliable across the country as a result of both infrastructure deficiencies and conflict; access to the Internet is limited in many areas. These gaps make it harder for office based staff to work from home and for schools to shift to technology based learning platforms during the COVID 19 shutdown.
Where access to health services does exist, fear of catching or being perceived as having COVID 19 has kept people from seeking routine care or preventative treatments.
Rapid population growth, rural urban migration, continued displacement and now COVID 19 further compound the stress on urban centres while increasing competition for local resources and basic services.
The same analysis suggests an indicative revenue loss of up to 30 per cent  ( $800m less than 2019 )  and at least a 5 7 per cent contraction in GDP  ( compared to the 3 per cent growth that had been originally predicted )
Humanitarian responders also face deadly risks and complex access challenges amid this highly charged environment but are committed to delivering lifesaving assistance to people in need.
The humanitarian response in 2020 has been reshaped by the COVID 19 pandemic. The pandemic has touched every facet of life for the people of Afghanistan, in many cases exacerbating complex, existing humanitarian and development needs.
Close to 26 percent of households in the country report having an adult female working, despite very low female labor force participation. These women are employed mainly in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors, both in vulnerable and not vulnerable activities, as per the categorization developed. The baseline poverty rate for these households is slightly lower  ( 51.5 percent )  than the national average  ( 54.5 percent ) , and the impact is of similar magnitude, resulting in final simulated poverty three percentage points below the national average impact.
Policy options explored by other countries in this context include conditional or unconditional food and cash transfers for those affected  ( excluding top earners )  and programs for securing inputs for rural agricultural households. Exploring these policy responses in the Afghan context could benefit affected households, avoiding losses that could take years  ( and maybe a generation )  to overcome.
To support the private sector, government should: i )  pursue business regulatory reforms to facilitate new investment when the crisis eases; ii )  work to expand access to credit; iii )  ensure continued provision of basic infrastructure on which firms rely, such as water, electricity, and telecommunications; and iv )  support private sector confidence through avoiding accumulation of arrears to private sector vendors.
Government has few policy levers available to manage the COVID 19 crisis. Monetary transmission channels are weak, and government faces binding financing constraints given limited access to commercial and concessional debt.
Overall expenditures reached Afs 422.3 billion, equivalent to 28.5 percent of GDP in 2019. Driven mainly by salaries and wages for civilian and security staff, recurrent expenditures reached Afs 283 billion  ( or 19.1 percent of GDP ) , an increase of more than nine percent in nominal terms over 2018. Development expenditures also grew by 11 percent, from Afs 125.5 billion in 2018 to Afs 139.3 billion in 2019.
Weak demand drove lower imports for most major categories of goods, including vegetable products  ( US$ 67.7 million ) , machinery  ( US$ 17 million ) , base metal  ( US$ 58 million ) , mineral products  ( US$ 42 million ) , and textiles  ( US$ 50 million ) . Imports were further impacted by the imposition of export restriction by Kazakhstan in the context of COVID 19 pandemic  ( import of wheat flour from Kazakhstan declined by US$ 49 million in the first quarter of 2020 compared with 2019 levels ) . Imports of all goods declined except for cement which increased by 37 percent  ( US$ 22.8 million ) .
Total domestic revenue collection at end June reached Afs 74.7 billion, 20 percent lower than the target of Afs 94 billion, with overall collections supported by an un budgeted Afs 12.7 billion transfer of Da Afghanistan Bank operating profits.
Steps are being taken at distributions to ensure large gatherings are avoided as much as possible and hygiene procedures are implemented. In some cases, double deliveries are being organised to overcome potential movement related disruptions and reduce the number of times people need to visit distribution sites.
In late March, the Government announced a number of lockdown measures in all major cities aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.
The current account recorded a small surplus of 0.6 percent of GDP in 2019, with large aid inflows financing the large trade deficit. Driven by the current account surplus, foreign exchange reserves continued to accumulate, reaching an estimated US$ 8.6 billion at end 2019, equivalent to 16 months of merchandise import cover.
COVID 19 has also seen the need to provide additional support to clusters in the revision of response approaches and greater incorporation of cash and voucher assistance in their programming.
COVID 19 comes at a time when the intersection of ongoing armed conflict, lack of access to services, poor employment opportunities, limited infrastructure, increased unemployment and high gender inequality are already negatively impacting Afghanistan's economic and social stability. The COVID 19 crisis is aggravating pre existing vulnerability to violence and further limiting access to life saving services.
Vulnerability takes on many overlapping dimensions in Afghanistan and is driven by the sub optimal living conditions and dire financial circumstances facing communities after decades of war, repeated displacement, drought and now COVID 19.
The Protection Cluster continues to take the lead on centrality of protection activities in Afghanistan. Humanitarian partners will be guided in their response by more robust analysis of protection risks and human rights abuses, supported through a new protection monitoring framework that has been further adapted to include COVID 19 specific indicators.
In 2019, Afghanistan's trade balance slightly improved as imports fell faster than exports. The trade deficit was US$ 5,861 million equal to 30.11% of GDP at the end of 2019, narrowing from of 32.72% of GDP in 2018.
Compounded by COVID 19 pandemic, weak economic conditions and confidence led to lower commercial banks' credit to the private sector in 2020. As of end April, total credit to the private sector declined by 3.3 percent  ( Afs 1.9 billion )  mainly reflecting a seven percent drop in foreign currency denominated loans.
Pulses: The average price remained unchanged compared to the fourth week of October, but remained 23% higher than 14 March.
Wheat Flour  ( Low Price ) : The average price remained unchanged compared to the fourth week of October, but remained 11% higher than 14 March.
With declining revenues and constrained fiscal resources, public expenditures need to be carefully directed to protect the vulnerable, limit long term economic damage, and establish the foundations for economic recovery. To support households, government should prioritize: i )  social protection measures, especially for the poorest and in areas where lockdowns are limiting employment opportunities; and ii )  ensuring the continued provision of basic services, especially healthcare.
An estimated 93 per cent of households in Afghanistan are in immediate need of an emergency social safety net in 2020, as they earn less than $2 per day and are particularly vulnerable to the economic shock of COVID 19.
Afghanistan is littered with landmines and other explosive hazards  ( new and old ) , presenting daily risks to civilians, particularly the higher than normal numbers of returnees.
These 35 million people  ( 93 per cent of the population )  are living below the international poverty line of $2 per day.