nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
The top 25 districts hosting the greatest numbers of returnees and IDPs  ( total inflow )    Returnees: 6,332; IDPs: 66,231
The ongoing internal conflict between the government and Taliban militants also makes the pandemic impossible to control. More than half the districts in Afghanistan are controlled by the militant group, and hardly any tests are available in these regions.
The top 25 districts hosting the greatest numbers of returnees and IDPs  ( total inflow )    Returnees: 28,373; IDPs: 43,642
1,541,524 fled IDPs displaced by natural disaster
Annual trends of fled IDPs   2020: 424,137
Nutrition: visible signs of acute malnutrition in the community: yes 7%, no 93%
5,480,996 persons have been IDPs and returned home
over 85% of IDPs from Logar, Laghman, and Wardak have not returned home.
4 in 5 returned from other locations within their home province  ( 82% )
Annual trends of returned IDPs   2020: 521,329
2,796,432 out migrants fled abroad
1,769,056 out migrants fled to Iran  ( 63% )
360,855 out migrants fled to Europe  ( 13% )
Overall out migrants by country/region of destination   Pakistan: 578,890; Iran: 1,769,056; Europe & Turkey: 360,855; Middle East: 53,713; Rest of Asia 23,548; Other: 10,370
The closure of schools further exacerbates the burden of unpaid care work on girls, who usually absorb the additional load of supervising children.
In a country where some 3.7m children are already out of school, this further widens the education gap – increasing the probability of permanent drop outs and affecting children's general well being.
High internal displacement, low coverage of vaccination required for stronger immune systems in combination with weak health, water and sanitation infrastructure has worsen the situation
During the following week, ending April 13, up to 80 mm of precipitation is expected over higher elevations of the eastern and northeastern parts of the country, while dry weather is forecast in the rest of the country.
More than four million people displaced since 2012 are estimated to remain displaced in 2020.
Some 33 per cent of schools  ( nearly 6,000 schools serving 2.3m students )  lack water and WASH facilities.
Disrupted livelihoods and reduced income, coupled with chronic underlying poverty, further challenge families' capacity to purchase essential hygiene supplies.
Women and people with disability have even lower access to WASH facilities.
This is particularly the case for displaced households – 57 per cent of whom have insufficient or barely enough water.
Owing to decades of conflict and under development, the coverage of water and sanitation facilities, as well as hygiene access, remains low in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan's under developed health system is thinly spread across the country, due to ongoing conflict and insecurity, as well as infrastructure challenges.
Natural disaster affected beneficiaries  1,882
On 7 April, two civilians were reportedly killed and 27 other were injured by IED detonations in Jalalabad city, Nanagarhar province.
In addition, 140 people affected by flash floods received humanitarian assistance in Takhar and Kunduz provinces.
1,400 people were reportedly displaced from Argo and Arghanjkhwah districts to Shorabak areas in Faizabad city due to ongoing fighting in Badakhshan province.
Overall annual trends of out migrants to Iran   2012 2015: 566,521; 2016: 313,003; 2017: 287,802; 2018: 246,434; 2019: 281,001
Overall annual trends of out migrants to Pakistan   2020: 21,536
In Q1 2021, the HAG recorded 115 interferences in the implementation of humanitarian activities, compared to 88 incidents recorded in Q4 2020.
2,565 people receiving support to construct transitional shelters out of 2,434,015 people, targeted population was 2,436,580 where 99.89% gap remained for response.
611,081 IDPs and returnees lack access to safe drinking water. Communities often resort to fetching drinking water from unprotected, open water sources
Despite the prevailing need for more education facilities, existing education infrastructure is often targeted, leaving communities without essential education services.
Clinics and health workers can become targets, leaving communities without essential healthcare services
IDPs reported borrowing money to buy food and meet other daily necessities, and increasingly using early marriage as negative coping mechanism.
Water is accessible but not potable, but is consumed by the IDPs as there is no other water source available in their area of displacement.
A total of 600 people affected by conflict were identified to receive humanitarian assistance in the coming days in Uruzgan, Hilmand and Kandahar provinces.
The Afghan National Police  ( ANP ) , including the Afghan Local Police  ( ALP ) , are listed in the annexes of the Secretary General's  ( SG )  2019 report on children and armed conflict  ( CAC )  for recruitment and use. Four armed groups are listed for recruitment and use and killing and maiming of children.
Interagency assessment teams identified 6,293 people to receive immediate humanitarian assistance in the east.
Health  ( availability of medicines ) : adequate 53%, basic 41%, inadequate 6%
Humanitarians stress the critical importance of maintaining a reliable flow of humanitarian cargo from all neighbouring countries and are advocating for special consideration to expedite movement of humanitarian food and relief items through border crossings.
Number of GBV by type   Physical abuse: 32%  ( 128 ) ; Psychological Abuse: 39%  ( 154 ) ; Sexual abuse: 1%  ( 5 ) ; Denial of resources: 19%  ( 77 ) ; Forced marriage: 9%  ( 36 )
Should support joint activities for caregivers and children leading to strengthened relationships and improved psycho social well being.
Rice  ( Low Quality ) : Prices decreased in Takhar and Kandahar  ( 2% ) , due to improved supply.
UNAMA verified 18 incidents impacting healthcare in the first quarter of 2020; 17 of these incidents were attributed to the Taliban. The Taliban incidents included a direct attack targeting a clinic; intentional killings and abduction of protected personnel; threats against healthcare personnel and facilities; and damage to healthcare facilities caused by fighting in the area. The threats have led to the temporary closure of almost 50 clinics across the country, with the highest number of incidents occurring in the Eastern region.
Fighting between Afghan National Security Forces ( ANSF )  and an non state armed group ( NSAG )  continued in the north east mainly in Kunduz and Baghlan provinces.
Similarly, average prices of mixed beans in 2021 are around 17 to 19% higher than last year and average.
Nominal retail price of wheat grain is 32 AFN/kg. Significantly higher than the two year average.
Livelihood achievements as of 31 August 2020: 3 women communities linked to global markets through MADE51 programme in carpet/kilim weaving
Promising the marriage of a girl child by a parent to secure a loan of cash or agricultural inputs in advance is a practice which highlights the reliance on the dowry economy for the financial security of a family. In addition, the dowry is usually higher for younger girls, so parents in need of the financial assets may choose to marry off their daughter earlier for a higher amount of money in dowry .
Rice  ( High Quality ) : Prices where highest in Bamyan, Daykundi, Nuristan and Badakhshan  ( AFN 105, 100, 100 and 98 per kg, respectively ) , as all of them are most remote areas with high transportation cost.
Of the 26 households interviewed receiving remittances at the moment, only 6 have noted no impact from COVID 19. In the majority of cases  ( 18 ) , the impact has been a reduction in frequency and amount.
ARCS  [ Afghan Red Crescent Society ] , under this DREF  [ Disaster Relief Emergency Fund ] , will provide immediate relief assistance to affected population in five provinces: Parwan, Paktika, Maidan Wardak, Kapisa and Panjshir Provinces
About half are buying less food than usual, and 34% buying cheaper food than usual
This immediate reaction  [ buying less food ]  suggests low levels of resilience for households to the effects of COVID 19, in particular among vulnerable groups such as IDPs who often lack strong support networks.
How concerned are you that COVID 19 will impact your life?   Very: Male 58%, Female 69%; Somewhat: Male 21%, Female 21%; Very litte: Male 12%, Female 8%; Not at all: Male 9%, Female 2%.
How, if at all, have you changed your shopping behaviour compared to normal times? No changes made: 12%, Going to different stores: 2%, Buying cheaper food than usual: 33%, Buying less food than usual: 49%, Buying more food than usual: 22%.
In GBV cases that require medical assistance, survivors seek medical support at clinics/hospitals. However, the clinics are not equipped to provide adequate services; they are not trained on how to address GBV cases and survivors. There is little to zero counselling and psychosocial support.
COVID 19 in Afghanistan is more than a public health crisis. It is a crisis compounded with existing complex socialeconomic, political, and security issues, that will escalate due to COVID 19 and measures against COVID 19. The challenge will disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, particularly women and girls who are already facing the burden of gender discrimination and limited rights in the country
These same families are also often cut off from mass communications, meaning they miss out on lifesaving public health messages.
Millions of the world's internally displaced children have lost access to their schools, health services, their homes and communities. In Afghanistan, these young lives, already defined by enormous vulnerability, are being upended once again by the COVID 19 pandemic.
IDPs living conditions in crowded spaces also challenge them to adhere to COVID 19 prevention guidelines, i.e., physical distancing. The majority of respondents, 148 characterized their areas have IDP settlements, the pandemic restriction can affect social cohesion between IDPs, and host communicates, which impacts IDPs safety, and their access to essential resources and services
The results of joint needs assessment have been informing that emergency food security, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, shelter, and livelihoods recovery are amongst the key and immediate needs of the populations affected by recent floods in target provinces  ( Parwan, Paktika, Maidan Wardak, Kapisa, and Panjshir )
The average age of affected subjects was 37.3 years with minimum of one year and maximum of 011 years.
Enhance linkages with development actors to support long term income generating opportunities and asset creation for vulnerable households. Support the financial and economic interests of women and girls and support IGAs that consider women's additional time and unpaid work burden as a result of COVID 19.
The restriction of movement and the social isolation could put girls at greater risk of experiencing GBV and the threat of harmful practices including Female Genital Mutilation and child, early and forced marriage.
In general security situation in Panjshir province is very good and the province is considered one of the safest provinces in Afghanistan. However, in 2020 the province recorded seven security incidents which most of it were ANSF  [ Afghan National Security Force ]  counter narcotic operations against hashish farms in the province, resulted few arrests. Beside these two small scale protests were recorded in the province, one of that was against ANSF attempt to arrest the former president of Afghanistan Football Federation, Keramudin Keram. In the past couple of years, the province has not recorded any AOG  [ Armed Opposition Group ]  initiated security incident
Sexual violence against 18 children  ( 13 boys, 5 girls ) : Taliban   14; Afghan National Police   3; Afghan Local Police and pro government militia jointly   1
Deteriorating and widening insecurity continues to expose increasing numbers of people to life threatening harm and injury, undermining their physical and mental well being.
145 attacks against schools  ( 70 )  and hospitals  ( 75 ) : Taliban   101; Government and pro government forces   26; ISIL KP  [ Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant   Khorosan Province ]    8; Unidentified armed groups   4
Some 49,802 people have recovered from Covid 19, and 2,467 people have died – at least 91 of whom are healthcare workers.
To ensure the safe return to classes in communities, partners must: Procure WASH supplies  ( anti bacterial soap or hand sanitizer )  and reusable face coverings for teachers
WHO warns that widespread complacency and failure to follow public health advice in Afghanistan is creating grave risks in the community with people generally not observing physical distancing or mask wearing protocols.
Participants were asked to highlight their level of decision making in a range of decision making areas including working to earn money, buying and selling assets, visiting relatives, migration/displacement, accessing health care for self and children, weather to have another child and children's education.As presented in graphs three, only 50% of women respondents stated that they are involved in a range of decision making, while only 19% of them hold decision making power, the remaining 31% reported no involvement in household decision making. On the contrary, 56.68% of men respondents indicated they have decision making power, and only 17.6% claimed no involvement in important household decisions. 5% of men responded that their decision making power is shifting since COVID 19, and they are jointly making decisions with the women in their family. None of the women respondents highlighted such changes
The Government of Afghanistan imposed a nationwide lockdown after the first cases were reported in February in the province of Herat, bordering Iran. The government extended the lockdown on 2 May 2020 in a bid to contain the virus's spread
Afghanistan is a south Asian country with a population of 31.6 million people, 71.5% of whom live in rural areas .
Afghanistan is still endemic for emerging infectious diseases such as poliomyelitis and measles.
All Actors should recognize that this is more than a public health crisis, and engage community members in socio economic, safety, and protection efforts. Engage women, youth  ( both boys and girls ) , traditional and religious leaders equally in analysis, problem solving, and decision making. Women in Afghanistan are generally missing from the community decision making process; thus, it is critical to creating women friendly spaces and meaningful engagement. When possible, provide village to village consultation, as most women are not allowed to travel to districts and provinces by themselves.
Strengthen referral and reporting systems for responding to cases of GBV and identify clear pathways for the referral process through women's affairs, health centers, and policies.
The lack of resources, inadequate health services, large vulnerable populations, low economic capacity, and the country's fragility mean the impact will be profound. The crisis will disproportionately affect women and girls in Afghanistan in significant ways, including adverse impacts on their access to food, nutrition, livelihood, health, education, safety, and protection
Respondents shared their hopes and prayers to see the day without the COVID 19 pandemic, joining the hopes of millions around the globe. They also indicated they want to follow the preventive measures and stay at home, but they need to provide and feed their families more urgently. Accordingly, they hope to gain support from the government and NGOs. The majority of them said cash, food, and support to access health and hygiene kits as their recommendation for NGOs and the government.
Similarly, community and line department representatives shared respondent's vulnerability concerns – they said daily labourers who lost their job, widows, women headed households, girls, IDPs, and children under five are among the most vulnerable groups in their provinces. Additionally, women's vulnerability to gender based violence adds to their vulnerabilities, facing socio economic, health, and safety challenges.
Despite the dire water, sanitation, and hygiene access at the national level, the majority of survey respondents indicated that they have safe access to water, latrine, and washing facilities. Collecting water is mainly done by women; 267 respondents stated that it takes less than 30 minutes to access water
Women's financial dependency and lack of education further put them in vulnerable groups. As a result, women headed households are very vulnerable. In rural areas, respondents mention, the situation is dire for landless households. Furthermore, IDPs are at a higher risk of accessing food, shelter, and essential services.
Many respondents highlighted that women and girls, poor households, elderly, disable, and IDPs are the most vulnerable in their communities. Respondents also said, daily labourers, mostly men, are vulnerable to loss of job and income. They stated that communities, especially poor households, are worried as lockdown measures, and loss of jobs aggravate poverty.
Few participants also mention they reduce their food intake to feed small children and reduce the number of meals they eat per day. This is challenging for women, especially pregnant and lactating mothers who lack adequate food and nutrition.
Respondents are also using other coping mechanisms by reducing the number of meals and portions of meals per day. Women and men respondents said they consume less preferred food, on average, 4 and 5 days a week, respectively. Additionally, women and men respondents are forced to limit the consumption of their meal at least 2 3 days per week. Women respondents reduce the food portion one day more than men respondents.
It is critical to create a safe space for women and girls and apply regular monitoring.
People are also living under the broader security challenges; respondents said there is an explosion, lack of security at night, and they need to establish and strengthen community development councils and increase security force coordination and checkpoints to ensure overall safety in their community.
Additionally, for girls, trafficking and early marriage are significant security concerns. A few respondents also highlighted the lack of privacy at home is among the security concerns. The conservative and patriarchal norms further stranded the limited freedom and security women and girls have in their communities
Some representatives from MoWA and community leaders said they are witnessing increasing violence and GBV cases. They also highlighted the lack of referral mechanism. Some clinics have GBV focal persons, however, the service is limited, and there is no legal advice for GBV survivors.
WASH, Shelter and Health actors should increase provision of water and sanitation facilities to returnees in locations of return.
Priority should be given to the needs of vulnerable persons, including women, girls, the elderly and persons with serious medical conditions to ensure return conditions are safe and dignified.
Health, Protection and Development actors should support efforts towards community engagement and community based Protection programming, including working with community based structures, local CDCs, government representatives and civil society members to ensure returnees receive support and unbiased access to services and information on return – particularly the most vulnerable
To support the response mechanism, government authorities are putting in place a coordination mechanism. Various sectors meet bi weekly or monthly; they also coordinate with NGOs. The critical priority among government sectors is the provision of health services, information, and some livelihood assistance. As the director of MoWA from Heart province highlighted, the department is focusing on three priorities: first is awareness raising regarding COVID 19 for women and girls; second is coordination and facilitation of distribution of raw food materials to vulnerable people, especially women by working with aid agencies; and third is hygiene kit distribution for women. Despite the key priorities in place, funding is challenging for all line departments to address the socio economic needs of the community.
In contrast, men respondents highlighted the lack of female service providers and the services' locations as crucial challenges for women. Some women respondents also highlighted the services' location and listed safety issues to travel to the service site as challenges to access assistance. Some respondents highlighted the lack of women distributors, which can affect women's access to humanitarian assistance. Some respondents indicated if humanitarian assistance is available, both women and men can have access; however, the major problem is the there is not enough assistance so far
Secondary sources show the challenges to access clean water and hygiene and sanitation services in Afghanistan. Severe geographical conditions combined with decades of conflict have curbed investment in public infrastructure and made it difficult to enforce proper sanitation and hygiene regulations. The country has no functioning sewage and wastewater treatment systems, and existing septage management systems are informal.
With unclear formal and informal existing psychosocial support, further aggravated by social isolation, the distress by the pandemic and related socio economic disruptions could have a higher impact on mental wellbeing in Afghanistan. Women's risks of stress become more significant when we add the high burden of domestic and caregiving work and their high risk of domestic violence.
Formal mental and psychosocial support seems to be lacking in Afghanistan. Almost 45% of women respondents said the government could be a system that helps people with psychosocial support. While 30% said they don't know any informal psychosocial support system, 27% said they think community leaders, and 15% said religious leaders could provide such support. Only 4.9% thinks they could get psychosocial support from aid agencies. There is a high level of mental health issue in Afghanistan; estimates show that half of the population experience depression, anxiety, or post traumatic stress.
The existing inadequate sexual and reproductive health services in Afghanistan could further be stranded as health sector resources and overall responses shifts to the pandemic. This could particularly affect the accessibility of reproductive health services, particularly for pregnant women. This could lead to an increase in maternal and new born morbidity and mortality, as well as to unwanted pregnancies.
The lack of functioning health services and long distance are significant factors affecting women's access to maternal and family planning services. Some respondents indicated the lack of money and the lack of female health practitioners also affect them from accessing such services
On the other hand, respondents indicated that men are breadwinners; their role requires them to go out, which exposed them to the virus. However, women and girls are responsible to take care of sick family members in Afghan society. This not only places an additional burden on women but also brings a higher risk of contracting the virus.
In some cases, War Child social workers also highlight initial anger and tensions around a child's return.
The lack of sex disaggregated data on COVID 19 cases makes it difficult to assess who have more confirmed cases, men or women. Existing news and survey respondents believe there are more confirmed cases among men; however, women's lower cases might be because of their lack of access to testing and health facilities.
In addition to the limited health services, the practice of a ‘Mahram' – a male family member accompanying a woman when she goes out of the house puts a strain on women's ability to access health services.
Out of 322 survey respondents, 82  ( 25.62% ) . said they don't have safe access to health services; among those without safe access to health, 44  ( 53.6% )  are women respondents. The majority of women who don't have safe access to health service said lack of money, lack of functioning health facilities and long distance to the clinic are among the reasons for their lack of access to health care services.
A few highlighted that people are now concerned about their hygiene and their general health to protect themselves from COVID.
Ministry of Public Health has conducted a national survey on estimation of COVID 19 cases and its' associated deaths in 9 regions of the country.
• 160 healthcare workers trained in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support  ( MHPSS )  by health cluster partners.
Urban lockdowns cripple informal and day labour employment and remittances from abroad and increases in prices of essential goods. Such economic impacts affect an entire family, but again disproportionally affect women by aggravating the existing social and economic dependence of women in Afghanistan
The COVID 19 crises and preventive measures taken in Afghanistan, including nation wide lockdown, physical distancing, public gathering restrictions, and school closure, have had an impact on all aspects of people's lives. Time allocated to paid and production activities has been drastically reduced while time allotted to unpaid domestic work has increased.
Out of the 322 survey respondents, 35 people  ( 23 female and 12 male )  are displaced with a host family, 31 people  ( 5 female and 26 male )  are displaced in a temporary settlement, and six people  ( 6 male )  are displaced collective centres.
The country is also the home to an estimated 3.5 million IDPs, many of whom are living in extreme poverty in so called ‘informal settlements' with extremely low standards of hygiene and limited access to water. Most IDPs live in urban areas in close proximity to economic centres
The Government of Afghanistan has announced a wide range of measures to contain the virus. However, weak health care infrastructure in a country weighed down by poverty and four decades of conflict render Afghanistan especially challenged to manage the pandemic. The country's complex landscape, natural disasters, displaced population, and ongoing conflicts make it difficult to maintain a robust response to the pandemic.
Reasons for return to Afghanistan: 14% reported employment opportunities
Reasons for return to Afghanistan: 26% reported reunion with family/relatives in Afghanistan
Animal Feed  ( Concentrate ) : Prices were lowest in Takhar, Kunduz, Kandahar and Baghlan  ( AFN 1,260, 1,800, 1,800 and 1,800 per 100 kg bag, respectively ) .
Onion: Price increased only in Paktika  ( 15% ) . The main reasons for the increase were higher seasonal demand and its export to Pakistan.
Reasons for return to Afghanistan: 1% to obtain a passport/visa to return to COA
35% of registered returnees interviewed at Encashment Centers in Afghanistan in 2020 reported that their children did not attend school in the country, 65% reported attendance.
Meanwhile the ToT  [ One year alive female sheep/Wheat ToT  [ Terms of Trade ]  improved in Hilmand and Badghis  ( 2% ) , due to the decreased wheat price.
Fertilizer  ( UREA ) : Prices were highest in Nuristan, followed by Daykundi and Ghor  ( AFN 1,500, 1,383 and 1,350 per 50 kg bag, respectively ) , due to remoteness and high transportation costs.
Fertilizer  ( UREA ) : Prices decreased in Takhar  ( 8% ) , Wardak  ( 3% )  and Hilmand  ( 1% ) , due to decreased demand and sustained supply.
Fertilizer  ( DAP  [ Diammonium Phosphate compound fertiliser ]  ) : Prices decreased only in Takhar  ( 2% ) , due to improved supply.
Rice  ( Low Quality ) : Prices were lowest in Nuristan, Panjsher, Kunar and Parwan  ( AFN 30, 34, 35 and 39 per kg, respectively ) .
Rice  ( High Quality ) : the price decreased in Baghlan  ( 5% )  and Takhar  ( 3% ) , due to increased supply and local rice harvesting time in these provinces.
The highest  [ wheat flour ]  prices were in Badakhshan, Nuristan, Urozgan and Kandahar  ( 42, 40, 39, 38 AFN per kg, respectively ) . The lowest prices were in Hirat, Logar, Paktya and Paktika  ( 31, 32, 33 and 33 AFN per kg, respectively ) .
378,310 People displaced by conflict in 2020  ( AS OF 10 JANUARY ) .
50.9% of the households do not have food stock
Nominal retail price of rice is 41 AFN/kg. Significantly higher than the five year average.
Returnees from Pakistan and Iran assisted: Out of 304,310 beneficiaries, 67% were reached with water supply, 13% with sanitation and 56% with hygiene promotion/supplies
Out of 111,527 beneficiaries, 6% were reached with water supply, 2% with sanitation and 97% with hygiene promotion/supplies
Proportion of population in need with access to a functioning sanitation facility: 794,150 targeted, 210,784 responded
Nominal retail price of cooking oil is 103 AFN/kg. Significantly higher than the two year average.
Nominal retail price of wheat grain is 25 AFN/kg. Significantly higher than the five year average.
Nominal retail price of wheat grain is 26 AFN/kg. Higher than the five year average
WASH  ( water quality/quantity ) : enough water   85% yes, 15% no; water quality complaints   27% yes, 73% no
Nutrition: Access food for infants/other milk products: Yes 33%, no 67%
Health  ( availability of medical supplies ) : adequate 48%, basic 45%, inadequate 7%
Many IDPs and returnees lack the resources to access secure land and housing, and live in challenging conditions in urban informal settlements in large cities.
• 537,011 people screened at points of entry by Health Cluster partners.
[ Case management ]  26 isolation wards have been opened by partners since the start of the crisis.
It is anticipated that the current dire food insecurity situation will be exacerbated by drought, making the existing support already planned under the HRP more urgent. To varying degrees, all current IPC 4 provinces will be impacted by the dry conditions.
In recent years, conflict between Afghan National Security Forces, the Taliban, and the Islamic State Khorasan Province has intensified. Violent attacks and armed clashes have severely impacted civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and roads. Conflict remains the main driver of displacement, and 344,000 people were displaced in 2020 because of conflict and insecurity
Fighting continues between the Taliban and government forces in Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, and Zabul provinces in southern Afghanistan. Since the beginning of January, an additional 10,885 people have been displaced across Helmand province. Violence is affecting civilian and humanitarian movement. The needs of those displaced is unclear; humanitarian assessments are underway.
Among 2,956 children under five screened, 85 children suffered from severe acute malnutrition  ( SAM )  and 195 children suffered from moderate acute malnutrition  ( MAM ) .
Ensure SPs consider all forms of identification documents when targeting the most vulnerable IDPs and provide more information on free access to services
An estimated 16.9 million people are in crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity through March.
According to MOPH data as of 18 February, 55,575 people across all 34 provinces in Afghanistan are confirmed to have had COVID 19. Some 48,798 people have recovered, and 2,430 people have died – at least 91 of whom are healthcare workers. Only 282,249 people out of a population of 40.4 million have been tested.
The socio economic impacts of COVID 19 are translating into a dramatic impact on food insecurity with levels now similar to those seen during the 2018 drought. An estimated 16.9 million people are in crisis or emergency food insecurity through until March 2021, 5.5 million of whom are in ‘emergency' level food insecurity  ( IPC 4 ) .
They said that with more exacerbated poverty, families are more likely to marry off daughters in times of economic stress to alleviate the perceived burden of caring for them.
Findings from the children's consultation showed that by 88.8% of surveyed children contribute themselves to the family income, showcasing the prevalence of child labor in the target location.
Boys are more likely to be engaged in child labour or seeking money outside the home in activities such as collecting garbage, where they are at risk of being beaten, verbally abused, harassed and exploited as cheap labourers and at risk of being exposed to the virus.These jobs are unsafe both for their physical and psychological wellbeing
The Logistics Working Group  ( LWG )  is supporting on logistics issues during the COVID 19 response.
1,274,833 people have been reached with COVID 19 specific food assistance by WFP between 1 March and the first week of December
It is expected that NSAGs  ( Afghan National Security Force )  continue to focus on IED  ( Improvised Explosive Devices )  warfare in major urban centers, thereby significantly increasing the potential for collateral involvement for civilians, including humanitarian personnel.
A reason for low IDP uptake is the high burden of proof required for IDP applicants: Article 17 requires documents that prove 5 years continuous displacement beginning before August 29th 2013  ( i.e. 5 years prior to the promulgation of the law ) .
Humanitarian actors with coordination of provincial authorities are assessing the needs of IDPs and will provide them with immediate assistance.
Women's rights and human rights are cross cutting issues', adds Attaiy. “Over the years Cordaid has implemented programmes and projects to reduce domestic violence throughout the country. We worked, and we continue to work at grassroots level, by empowering women, supporting them financially, and supporting them in their struggle to have a say and to shape, not only their own lives but also that of their communities and of the country. And we continue to support Afghan women in their rightful claim to be at the table of the peace talks with the Taliban and other intra Afghan dialogues. All this is even more needed in times of COVID 19.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Afghan Red Crescent Society's COVID 19 response has reached 3.57 million people in Afghanistan. Requested by the Ministry of Public Health, the ARCS turned its district hospital in Kabul into a COVID 19 facility and mobilised over 130 primary health care facilities to respond to the COVID 19 pandemic
• Funding requirements for the coming six months  ( November 2020 – April 2021 )  are US$236.69 million, of which US$126.16 million remain to be resourced.
Face to face lessons in small groups adhering to the health safety measures are being conducted in rural areas, where populations do not have access to TV or the internet. The Ministry of Education is working closely with the private sector so that students in private schools also continue their education through distance learning and online platforms.
Protection Cluster: Almost 2.77 million people sensitised on COVID 19 and related preventive measures by Protection Cluster partners.100,395 IEC materials distributed.
Nutrition Cluster: 312,936 community members reached with COVID 19 awareness raising sessions.125,654 IEC materials distributed .
3.12M people have received hygiene kits and hygiene promotion during the COVID 19 response
4,732,633 people reached with risk communication and community engagement messages by health partners.
Additionally, households in urban areas are more reliant on markets for food and, therefore, do not have sufficient stocks from their own agricultural production to cover consumption needs.
200,955 hygiene kits distributed, reaching 1,210,986 people by WASH partners.
casual labor wages are at minimum levels recorded in the past four years of monitoring. In January 2021, wages at the national level were 4 to 5% lower than last year and the four year average.
200,955 hygiene kits have been distributed since the start of the crisis, reaching 1,210,986 people by wash cluster partners.
• 3,269 handwashing stations set up at the community level in 358 districts by WASH partners.
Action to protect returnees include addressing the barriers to accessing healthcare for returnees, including information about where to seek help, clearer messaging around where and how to access testing, and financial support to pay for services.
Humanitarian partners continued to deliver winter assistance to IDPs and vulnerable people in Badghis, Hirat, Farah and Ghor provinces.
the cost of a minimum food basket  ( comprising imported wheat flour, local rice, vegetable oil, mixed beans/pluses, and sugar )  in January 2021 was 17% higher than the four year average
24 Gender Based Violence  ( GBV )  cases across 5 provinces were identified and referred to Family Protection Centres  ( FPCs )  for case management. As part of its regular programming, WFP distributed 1,415 metric tons  ( mt )  of food between 3 and 10 February 2021 .
The virus was confirmed to have spread to Afghanistan when the first positive case in Herat, was confirmed on 24 February 2020.
As of 18 August, there have been 37,599 positive cases, with 26,694 recoveries and 1,375 deaths across all 34 provinces in the country. Kabul Province has the highest number of COVID 19 cases in Afghanistan at 14,791, followed by Herat with 5,816 cases, and then Balkh with 1,918
In Herat, praying in mosques was suspended to prevent any possible spread of the virus. Residents could only go out for necessary activities
Meanwhile, the security situation remained unstable in central, eastern, northeastern, and western Afghanistan, with airstrikes, fighting, and IED detonations resulting in civilian casualties and humanitarian access constraints.
100% of girls and boys surveyed and interviewed in Afghanistan are supported within the Street Working Children Enrichment Center  ( SWCEC )  Project in Herat. The center supports girls and boys that are living and/or working in the streets.
The lockdown measures in Afghanistan have further increased socioeconomic hardships and exacerbated existing difficulties.
Threats to living conditions, including access to affordable food, are another consequence of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Spending time outside home is definitely minimal during the pandemic. 78.5% of surveyed children said it was less than the period before COVID 19 while the time spent at home and with family expanded with 60% of surveyed girls and boys who said it was more comparing to the period before COVID 19
With lockdown measure, physical activity level is decreasing and almost half  ( 47.5% )  of surveyed girls and boys who are doing less physical activity than before the pandemic
( 29 November–05 December 2020 ) Under the Global Fund multi country TB grant in partnership with UNDP, a total of 11,261 undocumented Afghans were screened for tuberculosis at the Zero Point Reception Centres in Herat, Nimroz, Kandahar and Nangarhar. Of the total screened, 349 presumptive TB cases were identified and samples lab tested, 8 persons were confirmed positive for TB.
WV should work to ensure children are protected from physical and emotional maltreatment and have access to contextually appropriate and gender, age and ability specific response services. This starts with training of all staff on UNCRC and WV Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy.
WV must ensure training on COVID 19 related child protection risks is mainstreamed across all sectors, and all personnel, regardless of function, be trained on the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, and how to safely report concerns.
Ongoing Needs: The operating context continues to be impacted by worsening insecurity, on top of the risks associated with COVID 19.
Surveyed children were asked if they have been aware or have heard of children experiencing any forms of inappropriate intimate behaviours from adults or their peers during the COVID19 outbreak. While most of the children  ( 76.1% )  said that they are not aware of any case of 28 intimate violence in their community, ten children  ( 12.5% )  have heard at least once about a case of intimate violence while one child refused to answer.
Despite lack of data in Afghanistan, emerging evidence shows that, with the COVID 19 crisis, the number of women and girls experiencing violence, more particularly domestic violence, has increased in all provinces of Afghanistan.
Physical distancing and lockdown have significantly impacted the provision of essential health, justice, police and social services for women and girls who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing violence, as highlighted in the second Gender Alert.
Girls and boys are experiencing worry and fear from possible contamination from COVID 19, and this can include the type of fears that are very similar to those experienced by adults, such as a fear of dying from COVID 19, a fear of their relatives dying from the virus, or a fear of what it means to receive medical treatment in case of contamination.
Universities also continue to lack safe transportation and facilities for women students, including water and sanitation facilities and safe university housing.
( June 18,2020 )  Despite peace talks with the Taliban, the number of new displacements continues to rise.
Because of cultural values and norms, it is very dangerous for women to report protection or GBV issues perpetrated by their husbands or other actors, as it could lead to increased levels of tension and violence and could potentially jeopardize their safety
‘Women and girls in Afghanistan continue to face widespread discrimination and human rights abuses. The country ranks among the least favorable on the Gender Inequality Index and the literacy rate for women is among the lowest in the world. Violence against women and girls is rife and the majority don't go to school.' Gender focus   UNICEF.
There are 6 points of entry open for commercial traffic only
25% of the points of entry are providing information about COVID 19 either through postings, notifying travellers of symptoms and/or telling them where to go if they develop symptoms.
104,170 people are affected by natural disasters in 2020 as of 27 December.
Persons living with disabilities  ( PlwD )  and persons with mobility challenges face additional rsiks as they have limited livelihood opportunities, in turn limiting income generation opportunities and ability to meet their basic needs.
After a temporary suspension of voluntary repatriation between 04 March and 29 April due to COVID 19, UNHCR resumed its facilitated voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees from Iran as of 30 April and from Pakistan and other countries as of 10 August.
Nominal retail price of rice is 33 AFN/kg. Barely higher than the five year average.
The Cluster expects that in excess of half a million people will have health vulnerabilities associated with the conflict, floods, dry spell induced disease and displacement risks over the four month planning window.
Among the 25 provinces anticipated to be most affected by the dry spell, 21 provinces have a pre existing high rate of malnutrition and lower access to nutrition services. Of these, 7 provinces have very poor SAM treatment coverage  ( less than 30 per cent of the province ) . This is particularly concerning as acute malnutrition often increases in the immediate aftermath of dry or drought like conditions mostly due to inadequate diet and the higher burden of disease. The impact is anticipated to be more severe in provinces with pre existing high rates of malnutrition.
Access challenges are expected in many affected areas due to active conflict and safety risks for staff.
1,235  ( 232 men and 1,003 women )  teachers trained on safe school protocols
123,656  ( 58,008 boys and 65,648 girls )  have been rached with learning materials at home  ( self learning materials )
81,624  ( 34,859 boys and 46,765 girls )  have been reached through small group learning
How willing would you be to accept a peace agreement that included women and girls no longer being able to attend school? Willing to accept: 10%; Unwilling to accept: 89%
Gaps & Constraints: Protection Cluster partners' access to vulnerable populations in parts of Hilmand, Ghazni Urozgan and Kandahar provinces has been restricted by the deteriorating security situation and other access challenges. Protection Cluster partners are working on resolving access impediments including through engagement with the HAG.
FSAC partners continue to monitor the flow of commercial vehicles carrying humanitarian food and supplies across borders to mitigate pipeline breaks for critical food and non food items.
There is a heavy overlap with high risk provinces for malnutrition among both children and pregnant and lactating women  ( PLW ) .
Increasing food insecurity and limited water availability will likely complicate current treatment for Moderate Acute Malnutrition  ( MAM )  and Severe Acute Malnutrition  ( SAM ) , pushing additional children and PLWs into severe need.
Food affordability, rather thanavailability, may push families further into increased debt or to adopt other negative coping mechanisms.
Given both historical trends and indications of intensifying conflict, half of this year's projected conflict related internal displacement  ( 250,000 people )  is expected to be recorded between March and June.
Exclusion of ethnic and minority groups from services must be monitored and mitigation measures introduced.
47.7% of the respondents reported that they have lost their jobs or revenues
There are 23 EiEWG  [ Education in Emergencies Working Group ]  partners with ongoing programs in 30 provinces
118,695  ( 55,883 boys and 62,812 girls )  have been provided with learning materials at home  ( self learning materials )
81,624  ( 34,859 boys and 46,765 girls )  have been reached through the small group learning
94,232  ( 42,968 boys and 51,264 girls )  have been reached with prevention and control messages through print materials
The regions with the highest number of flood affected people are expected to be the West and North, followed by the North East, East and South.
Geographically, 27 out of 34 provinces in Afghanistan reported Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever  ( CCHF )  cases in 2020, with the most affected provinces being Kabul  ( 53 cases, 4 deaths ) , Herat  ( 37 cases, 6 deaths )  and Balkh  ( 17 cases, no deaths ) .
The Government of Afghanistan should immediately launch public awareness campaigns and work with religious leaders to raise awareness of the rights of the girl, including the legal age of marriage;
Ensure programming efforts addressing child labour are linked with social protection programming, in particular targeting parents/caregivers from rural areas and parents/caregivers with disabilities or those of children with disabilities;
Must prioritize a gender and protection focused response to the primary and secondary impact of COVID 19 including the prevention and response to all forms of GBV including child marriage, physical and sexual violence;
Ensure support is provided to parents/caregivers in their efforts to send boys and girls back to school, and to strengthen community based child protection mechanisms to identify children vulnerable to dropping out of school and child labour;
Most rural households are expected to remain in Stressed  ( IPC Phase 2 )  through May 2021, with Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  expected in some areas that harvested less. In both urban and rural areas, below average remittances are also expected to constrain food access for some poor households.
Only 16 per cent of Afghanistan's schools were girls only, and many of them lacking proper sanitation facilities, which further hindered attendance.
While insecurity continues to challenge partners' ability to operate in some hard to reach areas, difficult weather and road conditions may also present a hurdle to movement of relief supplies, humanitarian staff for assessments and distributions.
Shelter: 578 families living in open spaces, 57 families living in tent or improved shelters. 3,200 families living with host families or relatives. 290 families living in informal settlements, 276 families living in other types of shelter
Among them, WFP distributed 139 mt of vegetable oil to the 138,531 girl students at primary schools and US$66,934 to 11,574 girl students at secondary schools to maintain their enrolment.
Protection: 36 Unaccompanied minors, 55 unaccompanied elderly, 139 female headed households, 82 severe disability, 45 chronically ill
Shelter: 349 moderately damaged, 4,232 severely damaged, 1,495 completely damaged
By the end of October, wheat flour costed 11 percent more than in mid March and cooking oil was 28 percent more expensive.