nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
When schools and CBE  [ Community Based Education ]  reopen, the fragile education system in Afghanistan will have to grapple with three additional challenges: reenrolment of children, particularly girls, into the schools; remediation for lost learning time; and the likely resurgence of COVID 19 during the cold season. The situation in cold climate provinces where schools are normally closed from end of November until end of March will pose its own challenges
It is critical to continue to invest in education and to ensure access to inclusive education for all children, which will support development and peace efforts in the short and long term. COVID 19 will have long lasting effects on the realization of women's right to equal opportunities to thrive in public life in Afghanistan, and on gender equality, development and peace in the country as a whole.
A review of the 2018 19  [ enrolment ]  data compared to the 2017 2018 data found that the number of girls declined during that period in 13 provinces, while the number of boys declined in 12 provinces.
In addition, only 16% of Afghanistan's schools are girls only, and many lack proper sanitation facilities, further hindering attendance.
Many schools also lack running water and toilets. Girls who have commenced menstruation are particularly affected by poor toilet facilities. Without private gender segregated toilets with running water, they face difficulties managing menstrual hygiene at school and are likely to stay home during menstruation, leading to gaps in their attendance that undermine academic achievement, and increase the risk of them dropping out of school entirely.
Nearly half of all schools do not have a building or facilities. In the absence of accessible infrastructure such as ramps or wheelchair accessible toilets, girls with disabilities are sometimes unable to enter or attend school.
In the poorest and more remote areas of the country, enrolment levels vary widely, and are as low as 14% and girls still lack equal access to education in virtually every part of the country.
Since 2001, the number of children in school has risen by almost nine times from 0.9 million  ( almost none of them girls )  to 9.2 million  ( 39% of them girls ) . The number of schools has also increased from 3,400 to 16,400.
Access to quality education is particularly critical in Afghanistan, where young people, especially girls, need education to prepare them as they try to break the country's cycles of gender inequality, crisis, poverty and conflict, and move Afghanistan toward gender equality, peace and development.
The Afghan national security forces were responsible for 1,376 civilian casualties  ( 466 killed and 910 injured ) , 23 per cent of total civilian casualties; similar numbers to those recorded in the first nine months of 2019.
From 1 January to 30 September, UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  documented 584 civilian casualties  ( 323 killed and 261 injured )  from pressure plate IEDs, of which 12 per cent were women and 31 per cent were children. This is a 44 per cent increase in civilian casualties from these devices compared with the first nine months of 2019 and more than double the number of civilians killed. UNAMA attributed 99 per cent of civilian casualties from these devices to the Taliban.
Of specific concern is the continued increase in the number of civilian casualties from pressure plate IEDs, used by the Taliban, which function in Afghanistan as anti personnel landmines; are indiscriminate by nature and therefore considered to be unlawful at all times.
The use of suicide and non suicide IEDs by Anti Government Elements continued to cause significant levels of harm to civilians, resulting in 1,700 civilian casualties  ( 525 killed and 1,175 injured ) , a reduction of 51 per cent compared with the first nine months of 2019.
From 1 January to 30 September, Anti Government Elements caused 1,148 civilian casualties  ( 527 killed and 621 injured )  in attacks that deliberately targeted civilians, including education, health and humanitarian workers, members of the judiciary, tribal elders, religious leaders and civilian government employees. The majority of these civilian casualties have been attributed to the Taliban.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  also notes with concern that in contrast to the decrease in the number of civilians injured, the number of civilians killed attributed to the Taliban increased by six per cent in the first nine months of 2020.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  attributed 392 civilian casualties  ( 132 killed and 260 injured )  to ISIL KP  [ Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant   Khorosan Province ] , seven per cent of the total civilian casualties. This represents a drop of 61 per cent in civilian casualties attributed to ISIL KP in comparison to the first nine months of 2019, mostly due to fewer civilian casualties from ISIL KP suicide and non suicide IEDs and ground engagements.
Ongoing conflict continues to hamper maternal and child health service delivery, particularly in rural areas where some 75 per cent of women live.
The Taliban caused 45 per cent of all civilian casualties in the first nine months of 2020  ( 2,643 civilian casualties 1,021 killed and 1,622 injured ) . This constitutes a reduction of 32 per cent in comparison to the same period last year; mostly due to fewer civilian injuries from suicide attacks and ground engagements, although this was partially offset by an increase in civilian casualties from pressure plate IEDs and targeted killings.
Although civilian casualties attributed to Anti Government Elements dropped by 34 per cent, these groups remained responsible for the majority of civilian casualties, 58 per cent, amounting to 3,450 civilian casualties  ( 1,278 killed and 2,172 injured )  between 1 January and 30 September 2020.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  verified a total of 45 attacks against schools and education related personnel between 1 January and 30 September 2020, with more than half of these incidents reported in the third quarter of 2020.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  verified a total of 52 attacks on hospitals and health care personnel in the first nine months of 2020. These attacks  [ on hospitals and health care personnel ]  affect delivery of medical services at a time when the pandemic strains an already over burdened healthcare system.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  continued to verify increased numbers of recruitment and use of children by armed forces in Afghanistan, with 155 children, all boys, recruited and used from 1 January to 30 September 2020 in comparison to 49 children in the same period of 2019.
In the first nine months of 2020, explosive remnants of war continued to disproportionally harm children, with children comprising 79 per cent from this incident type.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  attributed 722 child casualties  ( 246 killed and 476 injured )  to Pro Government Forces, mainly the Afghan National Army16, and 711 child casualties  ( 192 killed and 519 injured )  to Anti Government Elements, primarily the Taliban.
Between 1 January and 30 September 2020, UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  recorded 1,848 child casualties  ( 553 killed and 1,295 injured ) . This marks an overall decrease of 47 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, and is the first time in five years that UNAMA has verified fewer than 2,000 child casualties during the first nine months of the year. Despite this decrease, however, Afghanistan continued to be one of the deadliest countries in the world for children in 2020.
UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  notes with particular concern that civilian casualties in Balkh, Samangan and Badakhshan more than doubled in comparison to the first nine months of 2019.
In contrast to the national trend of an overall reduction in civilian casualties, there were nine provinces where civilian casualties increased. From 1 January to 30 September 2020 more civilian casualties occurred in Balkh, Samangan, Jawzjan, Badakhshan, Ghor, Kapisa, Logar, Khost and Bamyan provinces in comparison to the same period last year.
Targeted killings caused 16 per cent of civilian casualties from 1 January to 30 September 2020, a 39 per cent increase in the number of civilian casualties in comparison to the same period last year.
From 1 January to 30 September, the use of suicide and non suicide IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  by Anti Government Elements was leading cause of civilian casualties, the second representing 29 per cent of the overall total.
The World Bank estimates that under nourished children are at risk of losing more than 10 per cent of their lifetime earning potential. In addition, women of reproductive age and adolescent girls affected by under nutrition suffer adverse impacts on their own health, as well as later, on the birth outcome of their children.
The vast majority of civilian casualties from ground engagements are attributed to Afghan national security forces and the Taliban, particularly from the use of indirect fire  ( mortars, rockets and grenades )  in populated areas.
With civilian harm continuing at high levels, UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  reiterates that all parties to the conflict can, and must, do more to protect civilians from harm by urgently reviewing practices and strengthening mitigation measures, as well as working towards an end to the fighting – the only way to definitively stop conflict related civilian casualties.
On 12 September, the opening ceremony was held to mark the start of Afghanistan Peace Negotiations between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban in Doha, Qatar.
Given the domestic revenue mobilization is unlikely to fill the gap, the government should aggressively seek additional donor money. With security spending reaching around 30 percent of GDP, there is already limited fiscal space for emergency health interventions. While, peace and security expenditures are paramount for effective recovery and development in Afghanistan.
Investing in social cohesion and community resilience is therefore key to “flattening the curve', responding proactively to the pandemic, and ensuring sustainable, longer term recovery. Creating cash for work opportunities to working age adults would help to build the social fabric.
To protect and bring Medium and Small Size Enterprises back better, access to formal finance should be provided. Only 2% of firms use banks to finance investments; this is less than one tenth the average for firms across all LDC  [ Least Developed Countries ] . Despite a slight increase from 2008, access to bank finance for investments remains extremely low.
If the spread of the virus cannot be contained, given the low economic growth that prevailed in the period leading to the pandemic the social impact may be higher in countries like Afghanistan due to the fragile security situation. The prospects for the Afghanistan's recovery may further be weakened given the limited available fiscal space, uncertain donor support and a weak health sector.
The U.S. committed to provide Afghanistan with more than $18 million in funding for infection surveillance, lab improvements, case management, infection prevention and control, and community resilience. The IMF  [ International Monetary Fund ]  Executive Board approved Afghanistan's request for emergency assistance approximately US$220 million under the Rapid Credit Facility.
On May 28, the government began partial easing of the lockdown in Kabul and other major cities for workers but retained restrictions on movements and mass gatherings. To avoid further outbreak of coronavirus, the government announced new working hours for government and non government organizations, in two shifts following even and odd days of the week, from 7 am till 1 pm. Workers in the financial sector are exempted from the guideline.
An institutional response to the evolving disease outbreak, has been the cabinet decision to create a new structure within the Ministry of Public Health to deal with coronavirus pandemic in the country.
While several provinces have already begun easing their lockdowns formally or informally, other provinces instead reinstated a full lockdown from the end of May as the number of infections began increasing.
Improved air quality is one of the priorities for sustained development and sustained health outcomes in Afghanistan.
Indoor air pollution is an issue for buildings and small shops lacking, or with poor, ventilation systems. Circulation of people in buildings with poor ventilation, including hospitals, can also facilitate the spread of COVID 19 and other viruses
It is also reported that about 70% COVID 19 quarantining has caused a spike in domestic violence levels.
UN Women reports that COVID 19 impact on women is higher in developing countries; especially for vast majority of women who work for the informal economy. In the health and social services sectors where women make up to 70% of workers, heightened care needs of older persons put extra pressure on workers.
The UNICEF report foresees socio economic vulnerabilities for children to be further deepened by the pandemic. Eight out of 10 people and nine of 10 children may face at least one type of deprivation, thus the poverty impact of the pandemic on children would be higher.
RHouseholds are facing an increasing stress on their financial access due to large scale unemployment, which is expected to worsen as COVID 19 lockdown measures continue.
IOM's DTM data shows that 4.1 million IDPs who have been displaced since 2012 remain in urban and rural settlements residing in sub standard shelters providing inadequate privacy and dignity; poor protection from harsh weather  ( particularly during winter ) ; inadequate access to safe water and sanitation facilities; lack of connection to basic infrastructure and services; poor/non existent security of tenure and with a lack of adequate settlement planning.
With 11.3 million people in acute food insecurity in 2019, Afghanistan was already extremely vulnerable even before the pandemic: It was ranked 180th out of 185 countries assessed. The World Food Programme  ( WFP )  is now warning that the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity may double as a result of COVID 19 crisis, giving rise to a new hunger pandemic.
Afghanistan has struggled to maintain testing capacity, both due to lack of personnel and medical equipment. The total number of COVID 19 testing labs is 11, with five in Kabul and one each in Herat, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Balkh, Paktya, and Kunduz.
Like returnees, IDPs are also of rising concern. According to OCHA  ( UN – Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ) , almost 86,000 people have been displaced by conflicts or natural disasters in Afghanistan in the first 5 months of 2020 alone.
MoPH  [ Ministry of Public Health ]  recently instructed private hospitals and clinics across the country to start treating COVID 19 based on clinical symptoms and approved plasma transfusion for therapy in critical patients.
Public expenditure on health is by far the lowest in the region at less than 1% of GDP implying that most health costs  ( around 75% )  are financed privately.
OCHA  [ UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ]  warned about a bigger food security risk, and rank Afghanistan among the top 5 countries in the World
UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  intends to leverage funds in collaboration with other donors such as for example the World Bank's HEAT  ( High Expertise Advisory Team ) . This initiative offers leading expertise that is aligned with the four priority areas of the COVID 19 2.0 Offer  ( Governance, Social Protection, Green Economy, and Digital Disruption ) . HEAT aims to assist senior government officials in responding to the COVID 19 pandemic and through future oriented strategies: beyond recovery.
Trade and transportation have also been disrupted and domestic activity has slowed down sharply. This is threatening the livelihood of thousands of Afghan families as border closures and panic buying has led to a spike in prices of some foodstuffs
The following situations should be monitored: Crop pests and disease outbreaks have been reported in some parts of the country, although this issue remained more serious in neighbouring countries. Afghanistan has a history of crop pests and diseases in 12 to 14 provinces of the country. Food security and agriculture partners need to work together to monitor the situation in vulnerable provinces.
The following situations should be monitored: Food price monitoring should also continue in the major markets of the country and measures should be taken to expand food price monitoring as most of the Afghan communities are relying on the purchase of food from local markets.
The following situations should be monitored: The second wave of COVID 19 can potentially restrict internal movement and prompt border closures with neighbouring countries, affecting food and other necessary inputs supply markets in Afghanistan, especially since Afghanistan is highly dependent on the imports of staple food items.
Humanitarian actions completed so far in 2020 include: Establishment of a Logistics Working Group and a COVID 19 Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group
Humanitarian actions completed so far in 2020 include: The publication in March of the three month Multi Sector Humanitarian Country Plan for COVID 19 to kick start fundraising and coordinate the response. The quick release of AHF  [ Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund ]  support against this plan has facilitated early action
Humanitarian actions completed so far in 2020 include: Two ICCT  [ Inter Cluster Coordination Team ]  capacity building workshops on monitoring and reporting, as well as operational engagement with development actors;
Humanitarian actions completed so far in 2020 include: Multiple trainings – carried out both in person and online by the CashCap – to build cash capacity and support the safe use of cash
Prior to COVID 19, antenatal care was accessible only to a limited portion of the population – up to 32 per cent of IDPs report unavailability of antenatal care where they live.
Each year, freezing winter temperatures, especially in high altitude locations and areas of concentrated displacement, drive needs because a large proportion of shelters do not protect against the cold and many people are unable to afford heating, even in a normal year.
Afghanistan has an INFORM Risk Index of 8 – the fifth highest risk country out of 191 profiled.
The complex petition system implemented by the Government to verify IDPs over recent years was time consuming and had been causing significant delays in the delivery of assistance. After several years of negotiations by OCHA  [ Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ]  on behalf of the humanitarian community, the Government and the Humanitarian Coordinator signed new Standard Operating Procedures  ( SOPs )  in May 2019. The new SOPs confirm that the petition system is no longer the primary entry point for IDPs to receive humanitarian assistance, making the process of verifying and responding to displacement more efficient and flexible.
An estimated 2.2 million returnees and IDPs also are living at constant risk from insecure land tenure and the threat of eviction from the private land on which informal settlements have been established around the country. The risk of eviction is likely to increase during the COVID 19 crisis as people struggle to earn the income they need to pay their rent.
Ownership of identity documents is a key determinant of people's ability to access the limited government services that do exist. It is estimated that 90 per cent of men and only 38 per cent of women have a Tazkera, or ID card. While limited access to essential services affects everyone, IDPs and returnees  ( particularly female IDPs )  are especially disenfranchised due to either their loss or lack of appropriate civil documentation. Refugees also face legal challenges when it comes to accessing government services. The ability to support people through these legal challenges will be limited during the pandemic due to disruptions to the legal system.
Limited space, availability of sanitation and hygienic materials, as well the absence of regular medical examinations make prevention a challenge. Some officials have raised concern about many prisoners already having underlying health conditions which make them further vulnerable to the virus. Female prisoners and their accompanying children face further challenges, including insufficient post release support.
The country has struggled to cope with the urban planning challenges resulting from massive internal displacement. WASH and Shelter needs are extreme with over one third of households displaced for more than six months  ( 1.4 million people ) . Displaced people still live in makeshift shelter or tents in overcrowded conditions, with little access to services.
Lack of familiarity with protection measures and shortages of Personal Protective Equipment  ( PPE )  are likely factors  [ for the high infection rates among healthcare workers ] . These figures are expected to increase with escalating community spread of the virus that further weakens the healthcare workforce.
According to IOM's  [ International Organization for Migration ]  Displacement Tracking Matrix  ( DTM )  Baseline Mobility Assessment for 2019, 4.1 million people who have been displaced since 2012, many into urban areas, show no signs that they intend to return to their places of origin.
Regional geo political issues may continue to have a significant impact on Afghanistan's economy over the year ahead. These issues include the reduction of available jobs and thus remittances due to the weakened economic situation in Iran and the steep drop in the price of oil.
While acknowledging the initial funding already released by generous donors and through global pooled funds, health partners are operating in an environment where approximately one third of the population  ( mostly those living in hard to reach areas )  do not have access to a functional health centre within two hours of their home.
The  [ revised humanitarian response ]  Plan also provides some support for people who require resilience and recovery assistance to prevent them from slipping into more serious humanitarian need. Several sectors have included a range of resilience and recovery activities which, while more expensive in the short term, will create savings and reduced suffering for beneficiaries in the long term.
79% of adults and 17 % of children are estimated to live with some form of disability.
The Humanitarian Country Team  ( HCT )  and the Inter Cluster Coordination Team  ( ICCT )  have revised the multi year HRP  [ Humanitarian Response Plan ]  with 14 million people now estimated to be in humanitarian need and a planned reach of 11.1 million people. For this work, the humanitarian community requires US$1.1 billion. Projections of key population groups  ( e.g returnees, people affected by natural disaster )  have been adjusted to reflected new ground realities.
However, in the COVID 19 context, risks of SEA are likely to be posed by: Restriction of movements and lockdown are also posing risks of Gender based Violence  ( GBV )  and domestic violence among the most vulnerable. As well as overburden on health facilities might cause a lack of responsive ability to respond to case of abuses that fell behind as less urgent. Inadequate access to social services, especially healthcare, or political influence; limited or no access of communities to information and technology. Increased vulnerability of families by the economic impact of the public health crisis Increased dependence on humanitarian aid of most vulnerable communities Lesser  ( or not possible )  external monitoring of centers where separated children are placed  ( e.g. transit centers, detention centers ) . Increased stress coupled with isolation, of humanitarian workers who may resort to clandestine exploitation of domestic workers or neighbors. live in informal settlements or refugee/IDP sites; Are professionally  ( e.g. frontline health workers )  or culturally  ( women )  engaged in taking care of the sick.
Hirat is now the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in Afghanistan, with over 322 confirmed cases as of 17 April 2020.
This  [ contraction of GDP ]  will have significant impact across the board but will be particularly challenging for people already living in poverty, including those who are displaced long term.
UNAMA's  [ United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  preliminary figures indicate a trend of escalating civilian casualties in April 2020, with a 25 per cent increase compared to April 2019. UNAMA has raised further concern about the levels of violence recorded in the first half of May, including attacks claimed by Islamic State of Khorasan  ( ISK ) .
Looking forward into 2021 after the expected peak of the COVID 19 impact, it is likely that the scope of this social safety net calculation will change with a more targeted focus on the people experiencing chronic food insecurity. As the crisis unfolds and more data is collected, there will be more insights into the longer  term consequences of COVID 19 on the economy. This will enable adjustments to be made to this figure in 2021.
In the longer term, a broader range of social protection measures will be required to curb the spread of the virus, stabilise household income and demand, as well as contributing to recovery. The following social protection approaches may be considered: Increases in old age, survivor, and disability benefits  ( pensions )  to support households where other incomes have been lost. Presently pension benefits are limited to retired government employees and survivor/ disability benefits to government security personnel.
In the longer term, a broader range of social protection measures will be required to curb the spread of the virus, stabilise household income and demand, as well as contributing to recovery. The following social protection approaches may be considered: Temporarily modifying tax payments for enterprises to alleviate liquidity constraints.
In the longer term, a broader range of social protection measures will be required to curb the spread of the virus, stabilise household income and demand, as well as contributing to recovery. The following social protection approaches may be considered: Easier access to public and privately available health care. This implies providing immediate and significant additional financial and material resources to the health sector, noting the challenges of high out of pocket expenses and readiness for health insurance.
This  [ inability to reach all those in need ]  underlines the reality that humanitarian action is just the first part of a more comprehensive package of measures needed from the Government and development organisations. If these development needs are not met in a timely manner, people risk falling into humanitarian need, threatening hard fought development gains and requiring a more expensive humanitarian response.
In the longer term, a broader range of social protection measures will be required to curb the spread of the virus, stabilise household income and demand, as well as contributing to recovery. The following social protection approaches may be considered: Income support through social assistance and cash transfers, including food vouchers, to ensure continued consumption of goods and necessities, thus having an income multiplier effect. Cash transfers can be particularly effective since they can take effect with less delay than other discretionary fiscal measures.
In the immediate term, those falling outside the scope of the Humanitarian Response Plan must be reached with enhanced social protection measures with the intent of: Enabling access to minimum food requirements,enabling access to some form of health care, maintaining some level of job and income security, contributing to preventing greater poverty, unemployment and further informality; and sustaining some form of economic and social stability.
This vulnerable group of 35 million people includes men and women, children, rural, urban, and nomadic communities, and only excludes the small minority of wealthy households. Among these, the elderly, households headed by women, pregnant women, victims of domestic violence, refugees, orphans or children living or working on the streets, and people with physical or mental disabilities, are especially at risk. This social safety net estimate is a broad and exceptional calculation, specific to the COVID 19 situation, and is applicable from June through the end of the year.
Without support from the Government and development actors, income shocks can push vulnerable households deeper into persistent poverty and food insecurity.
About one third of this group  [ those living on less than $2/day ]   ( 11.1 million people )  will be assisted by humanitarian organisations but the rest remain outside of the scope of the HRP  [ Humanitarian Response Plan ]  and are in urgent need of a broader response through development assistance.
Given the shock of COVID 19 and its catastrophic economic consequences, the HCT  [ Humanitarian Country Team ]  has recognised that original projections from the start of the year are no longer valid and has embarked on a revision to more accurately reflect needs from June through until the end of the year. This process included cluster reflections on trends in a series of needs indicators set out in the HNO  [ Humanitarian Needs Overview ] . This has resulted in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance increasing to 14 million, largely as a result of the inclusion of all people in crisis or emergency food insecurity  ( IPC 3 and 4 ) . Upward adjustments have been made across every sector with Health, Protection and FSAC  [ Food Security and Agriculture Cluster ]  showing the largest proportional increases in their needs.
The result  [ of re thinking parameters for humanitarian action in 2020 and 2021 ]  was an extension in the scope of humanitarian action, in keeping with international approaches, to better address the nature and extent of needs in 2020 and beyond. The revised definition prioritises three main groups of people in need – shock affected people in need of emergency assistance  ( including new IDPs, cross border returnees, people affected by natural disaster ) , vulnerable people with ongoing requirements for support  ( including protracted IDPs, refugees in Afghanistan, people with specific needs such as people with disability, the elderly, female headed households )  and people who require resilience and recovery assistance to prevent them slipping into worse humanitarian need.
Added to this  [ all humanitarian emergencies facing the people of Afghanistan ]  are now the overwhelming needs caused by COVID 19 that are wreaking havoc not only on people's physical health but also their mental and financial well being.
The mid year revision has also provided an opportunity for clusters to revisit activity costing, with general maintenance of the existing cost per  beneficiary  ( $102 for mid 2020 compared to $103 originally planned for the year )  despite an arguably more challenging response environment. While specific activity costs for the majority of clusters have reduced or maintained, activity costs for the Protection Cluster have increased significantly.
This mid year revision has also included the reinsertion of a refugee chapter at the recommendation of UNHCR. While progress had been made since the 2018 decision to transition coordination of the response for the 72,000 refugees in Khost and Paktika to the Government, the need for aid agencies to provide ongoing support and assistance has led to its re insertion in the HRP  [ Humanitarian Response Plan ] . Refugee response activities are incorporated into each cluster's plans but the refugee chapter consolidates these plans allowing for better overall visibility of refugee needs and responses.
The following situations should be monitored: Restricted movement and fear in major urban centres of the country, as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, significantly damaged the urban wage sector. Afghan urban communities are highly dependent on these opportunities, therefore, measures should be taken to monitor the performance of the urban wage sector and its impact on the food security situation of the urban poor.
The following situations should be monitored: Prolonged lockdowns in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iran significantly impacted the flow of remittances into Afghanistan. In many cases, economic migrants lost their jobs and returned to their home stations. Proper monitoring is required to understand the impact and support required to avoid food gaps and asset depletion.
The report quotes a survey of Indian women which found that 66 per cent of women reported being stressed due to Covid 19, compared to 34 per cent of men. The report also indicates that the rate of anxiety and stress is exceptionally high among pregnant women and new mothers, due to fear of the infants being infected and difficulty in accessing health services and social support during to the pandemic. This was also confirmed in a rapid response survey done by the university of Alberta, published by Global Women's Health, the findings of which showed “a substantial increase in self reported maternal depression and anxiety from pre to during pandemic.'
Women's mental health was specifically affected by Covid 19. According to a worldwide United Nation's policy brief onCovid 19 and the Need for Action on Mental Health, women constitute a specific population group that show a high degree of Covid 19 related psychological distress, along with people caught in fragile humanitarian and conflict settings, frontline health workers, elders with chronological disease and children. “Women are bearing a large brunt of the stress in the home, as well as disproportionate impacts more generally,' the report emphasises.
A lack of reliable information about coronavirus, coupled with the deaths and rapid spread of myths and stigma surrounding the virus, caused many people significant mental distress. Many families also faced financial hardship due to the coronavirus and the measures to stop its spread, which was another leading factor in the rise of anxiety and stress, even before the virus had spread widely. The Ministry of Public Health has previously estimated that 50 per cent of the population is dealing with one or another form of mental health issue. The Covid 19 situation only intensified this problem.
The AIHRC is planning to set up a telephone complaints system in response to this challenge, but even remote filing of complaints can be complicated for women who may not have their own cell phones. As the UN Women global report observes, these and other challenges of Covid 19 lockdowns have enabled abusers all over the world to exploit the inability of women to escape their homes.
The Ministry of Women's Affairs, the Attorney General Office's Elimination of Violence Against Women  ( EVAW )  department and the AIHRC, in a joint news conference held on 20 July this year, said that the overall reporting of violence against women and girls had decreased during this year, while extreme cases of violence against women such as killing, suicide, extreme physical abuse and stoning punishments by informal courts had increased.
Turn out for the 2019 presidential election was extremely low amid threats of attacks by NSAGs and the resulting fears of voters for their safety at polling places. According to the Asia Foundation 2019 survey, fear while participating in an election is also at its highest recorded level  ( 63 per cent )  indicative of a longitudinal trend of rising fear and insecurity across much of the country. More than a quarter of shock  affected households  ( 27 per cent )  surveyed as part of the 2019 WOA Assessment indicated that household members were worried about killing and maiming, physical injuries due to violence, abduction/forced to work, and/or explosive hazards in the 30 days prior to the survey.
From 1 July to 30 September 2019, UNAMA  ( United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan )  documented the highest number of civilian casualties that it has recorded in a single quarter since it began systematic documentation in 2009. From 1 January to 30 September 2019, UNAMA documented 8,239 civilian casualties  ( 2,563 deaths and 5,676 injured ) , similar to the same period in 2018. Civilians living in the provinces of Kabul, Nangarhar, Hilmand, Ghazni, and Faryab were most directly impacted by the conflict  ( in that order ) . Additional systematic violations of international humanitarian law  ( IHL )  and international human rights law  ( IHRL )  continue to be reported, mainly by NSAGs  ( Non State Armed Groups ) , ranging from attacks on health and education facilities to targeted killings, and the recruitment and use of children, including in fighting roles.
To address the acute food insecurity needs of the affected families, the following actions are required to save lives and livelihoods: Considering the low resilience of people, high levels of vulnerability to shocks and the chronic nature of food insecurity, close collaboration between development programmes and those of the humanitarian community is needed to tackle the root cause of food insecurity and enhance population resilience and livelihood means.
In the first quarter of 2020, 161 partners managed or implemented projects across Afghanistan, which is a slight increase from the 157 recorded in the last quarter of 2019.
Marianne O'Grady, CARE Afghanistan's Deputy Country Director, said, “Putting food on the table is getting harder and harder and with winter coming, we are very worried for the people of Afghanistan. And for women, the situation is even more difficult. In Afghanistan, generally men eat first due to cultural norms, so when there's not enough food to go around, it's the women who miss out.'
Although Tazkera is not a legal requirement, lack of documentation  ( both Tazkera and education records )  frequently affects the ability of IDP children to attend school. Eighty nine per cent of school aged children from households where no members own a Tazkera reported not attending formal schooling at least three days per week in the latest school term, according to the WOA assessment.
To address the acute food insecurity needs of the affected families, the following actions are required to save lives and livelihoods: Crop pests & disease monitoring and control should continue, to avoid losses.
A quarter of the country's labour force is currently unemployed, and with nearly 400,000 new job seekers entering the workforce annually, unemployment continues to grow. The situation is even more dire for those who are displaced.
One year alive female sheep/Wheat ToT  [ Terms of Trade ]  average deteriorated by 1.2% compared to the fourth week of October but remained 13% higher compared to 14 March. The deterioration occurred in: Kandahar  ( 9% ) , Khost and Nangarhar  ( 7% ) , Kunar  ( 6% ) , Nuristan, Laghman and Hirat ( 5% ) , Nimroz  ( 4% ) , Daykundi and Zabul  ( 3% ) . The main reason for the deterioration was increased wheat prices.
Onion: The average price decreased by 0.4% compared to the fourth week of October. The decrease occurred in: Jawzjan, Sari Pul  ( 25% )  and Nangarhar  ( 13% ) . The main reason for the decrease was improved supply.
Fertilizer  ( UREA ) : The average price increased by 0.4% compared to the fourth week of October. Prices increased in Badghis  ( 9% ) , Nuristan  ( 7% ) , Nangarhar  ( 5% )  and Laghman  ( 4% ) , due to a temporary supply shortage.
Potato: The average price decreased by 0.3% compared to the fourth week of October. The decrease occurred in: Badghis  ( 25% ) , Nangarhar  ( 9% )  and Badakhshan  ( 2% ) , due to sustained supply to the market and daily price fluctuations.
Tomato: The average price increased by 12.1% compared to the fourth week of October. The increase occurred in: Khost and Daykundi  ( 78% ) , Takhar  ( 45% ) , Nuristan  ( 36% ) , Faryab  ( 33% ) , Zabul  ( 29% ) , Balkh, Nimroz, Ghor and Kunar  ( 25% )  and Badakhshan  ( 3% ) . The main reasons for the increase were seasonally increase of demand and supply shortfalls.
Cooking Oil: The average price increased by 1.0% compared to the fourth week of October, but remained 29% higher than 14 March. The increase occurred in: Takhar  ( 13% ) , Badghis  ( 10% ) , Daykundi  ( 7% ) , Kandahar and Nimroz  ( 5% ) , Nangarhar  ( 3% )  and Laghman  ( 1% ) . The main reasons for the increase were temporary supply shortage and high demand.
To address the acute food insecurity needs of the affected families, the following actions are required to save lives and livelihoods: Rural farmers will not be able to get labour opportunities, especially small and medium farmers, therefore, they may consume all of their harvest during this challenging lockdown period. Timely provision of quality seeds will help farmers not only cultivate, but also increase production for household consumption.
To address the acute food insecurity needs of the affected families, the following actions are required to save lives and livelihoods: Food assistance should be prioritised in urban areas, especially for those relying on daily wage labour and unsustainable sources of income. Humanitarian agencies should follow government guidelines and international practices during distribution in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic.
From January 2019 to June 2020, UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  documented 403 cases of serious violence against women and girls: 128 cases of murder, including so called “honour killings', 95 cases of rape, 44 cases of forced self immolation or suicide, 17 cases of forced marriage and 17 cases of underage marriage.
The number of returnees arriving in Afghanistan has reduced from the spike experienced in March. Between 21 May and 4 August, there were 125,657 documented and undocumented returnees, bringing the total number since 1 January 2020 to 421,485. Deportees make up 31 per cent of total returns from the Islamic Republic of Iran  ( 132,066 persons ) . Since the reopening of that country's economy, with COVID 19 movement restrictions lifted on 27 April, a significant movement of Afghans back into the Islamic Republic of Iran was seen. Those flows were accompanied by reports of increased protection incidents among irregular Afghan migrants.
As highlighted by the OECD  [ Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development ] , while measures undertaken in response to the COVID 19 pandemic help improvement in outdoor air quality, at the same time, confinement measures can result in increased exposure to indoor air pollution. This is particularly relevant for Afghanistan where many people still rely on polluting fuels for cooking stoves, lighting, and heating. In addition, housing conditions tend to be crowded.
The number of children aged 6 18 deprived in school attendance could rise from 5.6 to 9.7 million. Thus, if these children are unable to go back to school, the incidence of multidimensional poverty could rise from 51.7% to 60.9%.
Border closures and panic buying led to a temporary spike in prices of some food products
The Government of Afghanistan approved $1.1b package for COVID 19 response. President H.E. Ashraf Ghani said that very soon temporary daily wage jobs will be available for those who have lost their income due to the ongoing lockdown.
Since the beginning of pandemic in Afghanistan, the Government introduced measures to contain the spread of the virus and “flatten the curve' as discussed in the following sections. Public health policies aim to contain the rapid spread of the virus may reach 190,000 persons. Given the limitations of the health system, authorities plan to impose stricter containment measures, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distancing for the next 3 months.
In May and June 2020, women and youth groups in Kabul used social media channels to broadcast COVID 19 prevention messages alongside peace messaging and engaged with local authorities and members of the United Nations country team to support the distribution of aid to vulnerable families.
Between March and July 2020, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission published position papers on modalities for the inclusion of victims in the peace process and the issue of prisoner releases vis à vis victims' rights and transparency.
On 23 June 2020, the High Council of the Supreme Court adopted procedures to accelerate and facilitate online trials and prevent delays in case proceedings owing to the COVID 19 pandemic. The Supreme Court is currently developing courtroom procedures for remote hearings and other relevant institutions.
Joint Coordination Monitoring Board sessions were held in July 2019 and July 2020. Messages underscored an urgent need for the Government to address rising poverty and unemployment, corruption, economic development planning, institutional capacity, and regional cooperation and integration.
To address the acute food insecurity needs of the affected families, the following actions are required to save lives and livelihoods: Livelihood assets creation programmes should be considered where possible while providing cash or in kind assistance to construct, protect and rehabilitate livelihoods infrastructure for agriculture and livestock, such as tube wells, water channels and reservoirs for better conservation and management.
In 2020, REACH conducted an assessment with different vulnerable groups on the move that included new and prolonged IDPs, returnees and refugees; they are mostly concentrated in 11 urban areas  ( Nangarhar, Hirat, Kabul, Faryab, Takhar, Kunduz, Kandahar, Hilmand, Balkh, Baghlan and Jawzjan )  where an urban IPC  [ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ]  analysis has been conducted.
Food security situation for displaced populations: Various assessments conducted on IDPs by FSAC  [ Food Security and Agriculture Cluster ]  partners show worse food insecurity scores on indicators compared to any other population category in Afghanistan.
According to OCHA's  [ UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ]  IDP tracking data, a total of 202,856 IDPs fled their homes from January to mid September 2020, which shows an increment of 73% compared to January  December 2019, and by end of the year 2020, the IDP number is likely to further increase.
The Afghan national security forces and the Taliban demonstrated their respective abilities to cease hostilities three times during the first nine months of 2020, protecting many civilians from harm; first observed during the week leading up to the signing of the 29 February US  Taliban agreement, and subsequently during the three day ceasefires for both Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha.
Thirty five percent of Afghan girls marry as children, and being out of school is associated with child marriage.
Afghanistan's schools were in crisis before the pandemic. The number of children studying is falling in many provinces as conflict escalates and donor funding ends. Girls were already behind; Afghanistan has many more schools for boys than girls, and by upper secondary school, fewer than 36 percent of students are girls.
Accordingly, based on the instructions of His Excellency the President of Afghanistan and mandate of the Ministry of Education, a COVID 19 education response plan was developed to provide strategic direction on the use of existing resources and capacities of the ministry and development partners, and to secure the additional resources needed given the scale of the crisis. GPE contributed US$70,000 to support the plan development.
The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack  ( GCPEA ) , in its 2017 2019 review, reported that attacks on education accelerated during this period. GCPEA collected reports of more than 300 attacks on schools in this period, which injured or killed at least 410 students, teachers, or education workers.
( According to the 2019 Afghanistan Hard to Reach Assessment )  It also noted that education facilities seemed to be more often affected in HTR  [ Hard to reach ]  areas, with schools reportedly closed due to conflict in 26% of target areas.
The number of beds per 1,000 people is around 1. This is the lowest in the Middle East and Central Asia region  ( 4 beds on average ) .