nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
Afghanistan now has a test positivity rate – positive tests as a percentage of total tests – of 24%, suggesting overall under testing of potential cases.
Experts are eying a transition to cash based assistance, anticipating protracted difficulties in actually distributing food, but currency exchanges and money transfer services have been shuttered under lockdown, and more adaptive measures, such as smartphone money transfers, would have limited reach.
But the weaknesses of health care infrastructure in a country weighed down by poverty and four decades of conflict render Afghanistan especially challenged to manage any major outbreak.
Protection Cluster partners' access to vulnerable populations in most parts of Maidan Wardak and Ghazni provinces, as well as some parts of Kabul province, has been restricted by the deteriorating security situation.
[ Key COVID 19 Cumulative Response Figures / Protection Sector ]  Almost 2.59 million people sensitised on COVID 19 and related preventive measures by Protection Cluster partners. 75,260 IEC materials distributed. 5,385 people interviewed using the COVID 19 specific protection monitoring questionnaire. 24,797 border monitoring interviews conducted. 301,126 people received psychosocial support to cope with the mental health effects of COVID 19. 790 children received COVID 19 story books. 276,308 people received community based awareness raising on the protection of children and positive coping mechanisms during the COVID 19 pandemic. 3,012 persons with specific needs  ( PSNs )  received cash assistance across the country to help them cope with the financial impact of COVID 19.
[ Surveillance, rapid response teams, and case investigation ]  Health Cluster partners' surveillance systems have traced 591,232 people since the start of the crisis. 34,000 polio surveillance volunteers have been engaged in surveillance, case identification and community contact tracing activities. 8,954 polio surveillance volunteers have been trained on raising COVID 19 awareness, clinical diagnosis, case identification and contact tracing. With the re starting of polio campaigns, some of these staff are now returning to their core activities while continuing COVID 19 related community engagement.
133 Gender Based Violence  ( GBV )  cases across 5 provinces were identified and referred to Family Protection Centres  ( FPCs )  for case management. 2,602 dignity kits were distributed by humanitarian partners to women and girls across Hirat, Faryab and Kunduz provinces.
Stigma is considered a major factor in people choosing not to get tests  [ COVID 19 ]  and risk communications work is critical to turning this around.
Nutrition Cluster partners report a lack of PPE for nutrition and health frontline workers. Additional paediatricians are needed at Inpatient Departments for Severe Acute Malnutrition  ( IPD SAM )  wards to deal with the COVID 19 outbreak.
To ensure the continuation of nutrition services, Nutrition Cluster partners need resources to recruit and deploy additional Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams  ( MHNT ) . Additional production of MUAC tape is needed for children and PLW
Winterisation support is needed to enable schools to continue to operate during the harsh winter conditions. Support needed includes the provision of winterisation kits consisting of winter clothes for students, bukharis  ( heaters )  and heating fuel.
5,959 IEC materials on COVID 19 were distributed across 8 provinces during the reporting period. 75,260 IEC materials have been distributed by Protection Cluster partners since the start of the crisis.
794 COVID 19 specific protection monitoring interviews were conducted across 6 provinces between 12 October and 8 November, bringing the total to 5,385 interviews since the start of the crisis.
[ COVID 19 ]  Humanitarian partners urge the Government of Afghanistan to ensure laboratories are appropriately equipped and that procured supplies go to under resourced health centres in a transparent manner, so that life saving support can be delivered to those most in need.
UNICEF, CPAN  [ Child Protection Action Network ]  and organisations must strengthen safe and effective referral mechanisms to provide appropriate services to vulnerable children in need.
Given current rumours and misinformation related to a COVID 19 vaccine, Health Cluster partners report the need to maintain risk communication and community engagement messaging to curb the spread of false information within the community and to strengthen the population's confidence in vaccines. Pre emptive action is needed to ensure people are confident receiving care once a safe and effective COVID 19 vaccine becomes available.
[ Key COVID 19 Cumulative Response Figures / Shelter & NFI Sector ]  596,399 people in 16 provinces reached with ES NFI awareness raising sessions on prevention of COVID 19. 12,807 IEC materials distributed across 9 provinces. 1,304 NFI kits distributed across 6 provinces to families at risk from COVID 19 .182,663 face masks distributed by ES NFI Cluster partners across 4 provinces. 771 religious leaders received COVID 19 awareness raising training to disseminate key messages to the community. 10 family tents, 4 multi purpose tents and 81 refugee housing units  ( RHUs )  distributed across 5 provinces for screening, admission, outpatient treatment, storage, accommodation/duty stations for doctors and other medical personnel, as well as registration spaces for Afghanistan nationals newly returning from Iran.
[ Key COVID 19 Cumulative Response Figures / WASH Sector ]  160,204 hygiene kits distributed, reaching 1,018,072 people. More than 5.1m bars of soap distributed in 349 districts across the country by health cluster.
[ Key COVID 19 Cumulative Response Figures / Health Sector ]  160 healthcare workers trained in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support  ( MHPSS )  by health cluster. 444 healthcare workers trained in Intensive Care. 193 healthcare workers trained in medical laboratory testing. • 2,742 community health and first aid volunteers across 30 provinces trained in psychosocial first aid and risk communication.
[ Surveillance, rapid response teams, and case investigation ]  81 MHTs have been deployed to hard to reach areas to provide services to affected people unable to attend static health facilities.42 rapid response teams  ( RRTs )  have been deployed by humanitarian partners across the country to support MoPH's RRTs with surveillance, case identification, contact tracing, and risk communication. 3,931 healthcare workers have been trained by Health Cluster partners in surveillance and risk communication to carry out activities in contested areas.
[ Risk communication and community engagement  ( RCCE   accountability to affected populations )  ]  IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix  ( DTM )  field teams reached more than 61,405 community leaders and influencers among host, IDP and returnee populations, including humanitarian and development partners and providers of essential services, with RCCE messaging in almost 12,000 villages across 34 provinces. IOM's priority focus is on mobile and displaced people in affected areas.
[ Risk communication and community engagement  ( RCCE   accountability to affected populations )  ]  The RCCE Working Group has also developed Self Isolation at Home Guidance Messages which are available in English, Dari, Pashto. More than 4.72m people have been reached with RCCE messages by health partners.
[ Country‐level coordination and response planning ]  The HRP remains significantly underfunded at just 42 per cent of requirements, leaving a gap of $657m.
[ Country‐level coordination and response planning ]  Humanitarian partners are currently implementing a Humanitarian Response Plan  ( HRP )  which integrates COVID  19 needs into the overall response. In the first three quarters of the year, humanitarians were able to reach 7.6 million people with some form of assistance despite a desperate lack of funding.
567 children and adolescents with protection needs were supported with case management through referrals to multi sector services across 9 provinces by humanitarian partners.
Girls may be less likely to make it back to school. Respondents to the Human Rights Watch survey said that out of school girls face greater housework burdens, social isolation, and less internet access. A 2019 study found Afghan women spent 18.7 hours a day on childcare, care for others, preparing food, and cleaning, while men spent 5.6 hours a day on these tasks. Since the Covid 19 outbreak, caregiving responsibilities have increased dramatically around the world, often pushing women out of paid employment.
The precarious livelihood characteristics of residents of Surkh Dewall render them vulnerable to COVID 19 transmission, and the secondary socioeconomic impacts of the disease.
But now things are even worse. Online study works for few students. The World Bank estimates that only 14 percent of Afghans use the internet, and with 55 percent of people below the poverty line, many families cannot afford internet or devices to access it. With only 30 percent of women and 55 percent of men literate, many parents cannot help their children study.
Abuse at home is another risk  [ that women face ] .
Moreover, the findings demonstrate that protecting refugee and migrant health is paramount to the global SARS CoV 2 response, and must be funded accordingly.
Failing to strengthen the resilience of IDPs across Afghanistan will further damage public health outcomes across the country, and the region.
Building on this, the evidence from Afghanistan suggests that integrated responses need to address overcrowding and low capacity WASH facilities, strengthen socioeconomic resilience and food security, and ensure gender sensitive and durable solutions to the crisis.
Residents reported informal sector livelihood activities, with the majority unskilled labourers  ( around 80 per cent ) , and the remainder as street vendors: such activities are at  risk of disruption due to government lockdowns, which are currently being implemented across Afghan cities.
The high number of people living in close proximity is alarming because it has been known since January 2020 that the main spread of COVID 19 has occurred within households  [ 6 ] , driven by close contact and prolonged exposure to infected respiratory droplets.
The settlement consists of 643 households, who were displaced from their place of origin because of conflict between ISIS K and government forces; 638 households were surveyed in 2019 as part of a UN Habitat vulnerability assessment.
The effects of the lockdown coupled with one of the weakest health systems in the world – Afghanistan has just 0.3 doctors per 1,000 people– means malnourished and sick children are much less likely to get the life saving treatment they need to survive.
OCHA  [ UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ]  coordinated the humanitarian response to 1,574 IDPs, while the response for the remaining 1,078 verified IDPs will be coordinated with clusters over the coming days.
Some humanitarian partners operating in Dehrawud district have temporarily suspended their activities due to active fighting and the presence of IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ] , whereas other humanitarian partners continue to operate in the NSAG  [ Non State Armed Groups ]  controlled areas of Dehrawud district.
Humanitarian assessment teams have verified 1,800 IDPs displaced within Dehrawud district to NSAG [ Non State Armed Groups ]  controlled areas due to the recent fighting, with assessments still ongoing.
The presence of IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  and ongoing clashes continue to threaten civilian movements as well as the humanitarian response in Kandahar.
Reports of increased IED  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  incidents in Lashkargah continues to be of grave concern for humanitarian organisations operating in the area.
While no new displacement has been reported in Hilmand since the last flash update released on 5 November, some IDPs residing in NSAG  [ Non State Armed Groups ]  controlled areas have gradually started to return to their place of origin, according to initial reports.
Moreover, the presence of IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  remains a concern with three civilians killed and one wounded in Dehrawud district on 8 November.
All of the major routes to Dehrawud and Gizab districts are currently closed due to the presence of IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  and destroyed culverts.
Telephone networks mostly remain down and the key roads between Kandahar city and Arghandab, Panjwaiy and Zharey districts are partially open but with a high threat of IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  – especially in Deh Lavour, Nagahan and Shohen – and many culverts destroyed. People are still unable to use these roads and are instead using alternative routes for movement.
The security situation remains volatile. The road between Lashkargah and Nawa e  Barakzaiy; the Lashkargah Kandahar highway and the roads connecting Lashkargah to Nawa e  Barakzaiy, Nad e Ali/Marja and Nahr e Saraj also remain closed due to the presence of NSAG  [ Non State Armed Groups ]  checkpoints, IEDs  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  and culvert damage.
Three IED  [ Improvised Explosive Devices ]  explosions were reported between 7 and 11 November which were believed to have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.
There is potential for expansion of this service delivery modality  [  theuse of mobile health and nutrition teams ]  , particularly in the context of COVID 19, to minimise population movement. However, funding to scale up this activity remains limited.
In some areas, this  [ the lack of wasting treatment programs ]  has been overcome through the use of mobile health and nutrition teams operated by the Directorate of Provincial Health  ( DoPH )  through BPHS  [ Basic Package for Health Services ]  and/or non BPHS partners  ( often international NGOs ) .
Moderate wasting treatment is implemented in only around 45% of health facilities, at a cost of USD28 million per year, with less than 50% programme coverage.
Scale up of treatment services has differed for moderate and severe wasting. For severe wasting, significant scale up took place between 2016 and 2018, resulting in the doubling of coverage of health facilities to almost 60% at a cost of around USD20 million per year. In 2019, plans for further scale up were interrupted by a foreseen shortfall of RUTF  [ ready to use therapeutic food ]  supplies for the year as well as an overall funding shortfall of around 30%.
Costs of ready to use therapeutic food  ( RUTF )  for the management of wasting are not covered  [ by SEHATMANDI ]  and must be sourced externally.
Nutrition specific services in Afghanistan are delivered predominantly through non governmental organisations  ( NGOs )  contracted to deliver the Basic Package for Health Services  ( BPHS )  and the Essential Package Health Services  ( EPHS )  through government health facilities. These include growth monitoring, counselling on maternal, infant and young child nutrition  ( MIYCN )  by midwives and nutrition counsellors, The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative  ( BFHI ) , food fortification  ( salt, oil and wheat flour ) , weekly iron folic acid supplementation  ( WIFS )  for adolescent girls  ( targeted to girls both in and out of school )  and the integrated management of acute malnutrition  ( IMAM ) .
There has been commitment in recent years by the Ministry of Public Health  ( MoPH )  and development partners to integrate nutritional services into government systems at national and sub  national levels.
These issues  [ gaps in service delivery ]  are further aggravated by erratic climate conditions, wide  spread food insecurity and the hard to reach nature of many communities.
Despite growing demands for care, the health delivery system in Afghanistan is under resourced and reliant on external aid to maintain service delivery. While significant attention has been given to addressing wasting as a humanitarian response, wasting treatment programme coverage remains low.
The result is a population that is highly vulnerable to socio economic hard ship, seasonal surges in wasting, disease outbreaks  ( diarrhoea, acute respiratory infection and measles ) , poor hygiene and sanitation and poor access to food and health and nutrition services  ( especially in hard to reach areas ) .
A large proportion of Afghanistan's population is classified as vulnerable due to years of conflict and natural disaster driven humanitarian crises, population displacement and disruption of essential services.
Adolescent girls who are stunted, thin or anaemic are more likely to experience poor pregnancy outcomes and give birth to babies who themselves are wasted and stunted.
As of 27 August 2020, it was reported that 11 houses were partially damaged, two persons killed and another two sustained injuries, several shops and about 300 jirabs of agricultural land is impacted by flood in Sharana center and Yousaf Khail Districts.
As reported by ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ]  , over 700 families were affected, agriculture land and crops damaged and infrastructure were impacted by flash flood on 26 August in Chalk, Jarliz and Sayed Abad Districts.
Based on initial report obtained from ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ] ; over 400 families were affected by flash flood in Charikar District of Parwan Province. Devastating flash flood had severe impact that resulted in heavy casualties  ( per government sources as of 27 August 2020; 106 deaths and 106 injured including women and children, 26 reportedly still missing )
Long term policies should be devised with regards to: sick leave  ( due to COVID 19 infection, for those who fall ill – no one should lose their job ) , regulated periods of quarantine for individuals and households who fall ill, with systems in place to ensure their basic necessities are accounted for given loss of wages and disrupted mobility might occur; mandatory policy for facemasks to be worn when exiting the house; increase service points for psychosocial counselling to be offered to Afghan men and women at all levels of health facilities to ensure reach at the district level.
Stakeholders such as GoIRA  [ Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ]  and NGOs can bolster advocacy for already existing service provision points such as: GBV Hotline  ( 6464 ) , Youth Health Line  ( 120 ) , Midwifery Help Line  ( 125 ) , Family Protection Centers  ( 22 provinces, 27 FPCs  [ Family Protection Centers ]  located in Provincial Hospitals ) .
It is vital that the survivors should be aware of where to go in case of experiencing violence, which means easily accessible and understandable referral pathways that can be disseminated widely.
Any form of violence including family and gender based violence is strictly prohibited in Islam. Thus, Ulema and religious scholars can contribute invaluably in advocating for the equal treatment of Afghan women and girls, and condemning all forms of GBV onto vulnerable groups such as Afghan women and girls, IDPs/returnees and minorities.
Strict measure of quarantine and lockdown have been taken into account with police presence on the streets regulating movement of non essential workers.
Only stand alone and short term programs will sufficiently address the need for actions to decrease nationwide instances of GBV in Afghanistan, rather it will require a multi sectoral engagement of all stakeholders and engaging the Afghan public through relatable and impactful advocacy.
In the Northwest region, the denial of resources is most prominent, constituting 33% of the GBV cases in the region.
The western region of Afghanistan continues to be affected by drought, which is crippling due to agriculture being one of the main sources of livelihood. This has been noted with incidence of forced marriage occurring for families to receive monetary gains through the sale of their daughters, in order to survive.
Group gatherings for call to prayer and familial gathering continued coupled with a weak medical infrastructure to care for COVID 19 patience, which exacerbated the spread of the virus.
The pay for performance  ( P4P )  salary scheme dedicated to healthcare workers in Afghanistan to complete a preset number of tasks per day, to earn their full salary, is another barrier in provision of GBV services. The P4P although being designed for efficacy, often time leaves GBV outside of most tasks within the mandate of GBV service providers.
With an already fragile health care system, access to basic health care service are now limited as healthcare providers in Afghanistan are mandated to fight the COVID 19 pandemic.
As social distancing measures are put in place and people are encouraged to stay at home, the space for afghan women and girls has particularly shrunk; limiting their contact with family and friends who may provide emotional, psychosocial and tangible support and/or protection from violence. This creates an environment ripe for perpetrators of GBV to exercise power and control with impunity over Afghan women and girls specifically.
COVID 19 in Afghanistan has disrupted the informal labor sector, which makes up the largest percentage of employment in Afghanistan, particularly day laborers, and has impacted Afghan's unemployment rate and purchasing power with increases in basic commodities such as flour, oil and eggs  ( to name a few ) .
Disinfect hand pump handle/ water taps with disinfectant or a minimum 0.1% chlorine solution in high risk areas/ camps
According to the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic Health Survey, 52 percent of ever married women have suffered from spousal violence, whether it be 46 percent from physical violence, six percent from sexual violence and 34 percent from emotional violence, while 53 percent of them have experienced physical violence since the age of 15. The survey also indicates that 16 percent of women aged 15 49 reported experiencing violence during pregnancy.
In the wake of COVID 19 with the restriction on movement and economic downturn, with multidimensional poverty head  count ration of 51.7% , GBV cases have increased.
The stress of finding food for the family coupled with the tension of contracting COVID 19 and its expenses, has resulted in an increase in domestic abuse and in most cases male onto female violence.
Although GBV survivors are not limited only to women, within the Afghan context the overwhelming number of reported GBV survivors are Afghan women and girls.
Recent SMART surveys  ( 2020 )  show that approximately two million children under five years in Afghanistan  ( 1,020,000 girls and 980,000 boys )  require treatment for wasting, 780,000 of whom  ( 397,800 girls and 382,200 boys )  are severely wasted.
Afghanistan also faces persistently high levels of micronutrient deficiencies including iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin D. Anaemia, mainly due to iron deficiency, affects 45% of children aged 6 59 months of age, 31% of adolescent girls and 40% of women of reproductive age.
Use the official Afghanistan MoPH/WHO COVID 19 IPC messages and appropriate printed IEC materials translated in Pashtun and Dari for hygiene promotion.
The risk of COVID 19 spreading among those moving around  [ from recent hostilities ]  is high due to a lack of social distancing and limited access to hand washing facilities.
Among  [ those displaced from recent hostilities ] , 28,282 need immediate lifesaving assistance.
ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ]  and other Nangarhar Provincial authorities have since provided immediate humanitarian assistance that included food and non food items.
A total of 1,245 livestock  ( sheep, goats, cows )  were reportedly killed  [ from flooding in August 2020 ] .
A Joint Assessment Team consisting of ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ] , DACAAR  [ Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees ] , IOM  [ International Organization for Migration ] , IRC  [ International Rescue Committee ]  and WFP continued assessments on 29 August that verified 156 households in need of humanitarian assistance.
ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ]  in Wardak initially reported around 700 households had been affected by heavy rain and flooding on 26 August.
ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ]  distributed a one month food ration to each family, IOM  [ International Organization for Migration ]  distributed NFI kits, DACAAR  [ Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees ]  distributed WASH kits and DRC  [ Danish Refugee Council ]  distributed cash  ( Afs 22,000/household ) .
Joint assessment teams consisting of ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ] , DACAAR  [ Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees ] , DRC  [ Danish Refugee Council ] , and IOM  [ International Organization for Migration ]  concluded an assessment on 28 August and verified 58 families in need of humanitarian assistance.
OCHA  [ UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ]  continues to work with ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ]  to coordinate joint assessments with humanitarian partners, to identify needs and provide a timely response.
873 households have been verified as needing humanitarian assistance.
Parwan Province According to initial reports from ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ]  hundreds of households were affected by floods in Charikar City, causing substantial casualties.
Since these initial  [ flood ]  reports, joint assessment teams consisting of ANDMA  [ Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority ] , ARCS  [ Afghan Red Crescent Society ] , DoRR  [ Directorate of Refugees and Repatriation ] , DAIL  [ Directorates of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock ] , CARE International, DRC  [ Danish Refugee Council ] , DACAAR  [ Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees ] , IOM  [ International Organization for Migration ] , IRC  [ International Rescue Committee ] , UNICEF, and WFP verified 1,876 households needing humanitarian assistance in Logar, Wardak, Kapisa, Parwan, Kabul, Nuristan, Kunar, Laghman and Nangarhar provinces. Numbers are likely to change as assessments are ongoing.
A third of the population – including 7.3 million children – will face food shortages in April and May due to the current pandemic.
Timothy Bishop, Save the Children's Country Director in Afghanistan, said: “We are deeply concerned that this pandemic will lead to a perfect storm of hunger, disease and death in Afghanistan unless the world takes action now to ensure vulnerable children and their families have enough to eat, especially those in remote areas and the urban poor."
Frequent hand washing was identified as the number one measure in reducing risks of transmission  ( 95% of respondents ) , but as with PPE  [ Personal Protective Equipment ] , almost a third of people lacked any access to hand washing facilities  ( 30% )  or to soap/sanitizer  ( 35% ) . And when it came to self  isolating, an average of 96% of respondents  ( 100% in 7/11 provinces )  reported having nowhere to self isolate. This is likely further hampered by patchy access to accurate public health information in many areas and a lack of knowledge about appropriate health seeking behaviours.
The unaffordability of preventative measures  ( 25% )  – particularly in Faryab, Takhar and Nimroz – alongside an awareness of the importance of wearing PPE  ( face mask and gloves ) , yet an inability to pay for it, mean critical shortages of income are clearly hampering people's ability to keep themselves and their families safe.
Public healthcare in Afghanistan is free of charge for Afghan nationals, though medicines and travel to reach facilities come at a cost. Even when services are within 2 hour reach, respondents cited inability to pay for healthcare as a prohibiting factor. This means 53% of the population are without realistic access to health services.
Child labor is one of the top child protection concerns of Protection actors across the country, and a clear indicator of the heightened risk of exploitation and abuse which economically vulnerable families are facing – particularly those for whom daily labor is the only source of income.It demonstrates an urgent need for increased interventions aimed at curbing this practice at all levels and reducing the precarity of the most impoverished households to limit resort to such negative coping mechanisms.
The price of basic commodities increased significantly – official estimates in May put food price increases at 10 20%, with 35% of the population  ( 10.9 million )  facing acute food insecurity and survey respondents reported an average increase in excess of these estimates at 21 50%, rising to as much as 100% in some areas  ( Ghor )  and peaking in June.
Border closures put pressure on supply lines and income streams, an uptick in bureaucratic impediments and credible threats from non government authorities, and public unrest over lockdown impacts – e.g. unequal aid distribution, loss of jobs, non payment of government salaries, and prolonged border closure with Pakistan – have been widely reported.
In May 2020 respondents relied predominantly on the media for information on COVID 19  ( 85% ) , followed by community leaders  ( 32% ) , and family and friends  ( 32% )  for information. By July the sources had shifted: community leaders dropped to 24% and family and friends increased to 34%.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Promote decision making led by women and girls and co ownership of programming, including lessons learned and the development of best practices.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Enhance integrated health responses, including on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support  ( MHPSS ) , reproductive and sexual health, and rights and mobile health.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Ensure humanitarian interventions specifically address the needs of marginalized groups, including people living with disabilities and female headed households designed with and for these groups.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Integrate concrete gender analysis into the planning, development, and delivery of social protection measures, so as to ensure they extend beyond formal economy participation and are capable of reaching women in the informal sector and those engaged in unpaid care and domestic labour.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Increase livelihood/economic empowerment programmes that address income/earning disparities between men and women and boost female empowerment, including in terms of access to and coverage of resources.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Invest in nexus programming, increasing coordination between humanitarian and development actors in COVID 19 response at the sectoral and national level. Ensure a space for discussing and strengthening nexus programming that includes UN agencies, both Non Governmental Organizations  ( NGOs )  from Afghanistan and International Non Governmental Organizations  ( INGOs ) , civil society and grassroots women's rights movements, and govern  ment stakeholders.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Reinforce referral pathways for women and adolescent girls to access lifesaving and resilience based services, with quality assurance for the services accessed, and access to female service providers.
Recommendations in light of the survey: Strengthen meaningful access to information on COVID 19 including through community mobilization and awareness raising programmes on COVID 19 prevention that target and work with women. This must include low literacy materials and modalities, and the safe mobilization of female community members to deliver impactful and gender sensitive messages.
There are high risks for the health of populations living in displacement sites. Pre existing challenges, including inadequate and crowded accommodation, insufficient water and sanitation facilities, extreme food insecurity and lack of access to education or employment opportunities have been compounded to make IDPs, particularly women, more vulnerable in the context of COVID 19.
Inadequate health care facilities and resources are particularly affecting people living in hard to reach, remote and anti government controlled areas. In addition, Afghans still have to cover about three quarters of their own health costs, despite government efforts toward providing universal health care.
Female household members more frequently reported angry, aggressive, or violent behaviour  ( 45 per cent ) , compared to male heads of household  ( 39 per cent ) .
It is crucial that both researchers and policymakers prioritize the collecting and reporting of data, disaggregated by sex and other socio economic characteristics, so as to ensure women are not left even farther behind.
It is critical to ensure gender sensitive, contextualized and accurate information on COVID 19 is provided in ways that take into account the different literacy rates among women and men, as well as the different levels of access to mobile phones, social media, radio and helplines and the preferred means of communication within the respective communities.
The Focused Group Discussions  ( FGDs )  held by the Directorate of Women's Affairs  ( DoWA ) , undertaken as part of the Whole of Afghanistan Assessment, found that women considered the DoWA an important communication channel for support on gender sensitive issues, due to its direct connection with humanitarian organizations assisting women and girls.
In the same assessment, it was also found that women face additional barriers to accessing clear and timely information. For instance, 59 per cent of female headed households reported not owning a registered sim card, while 73 per cent of female headed households did not have any members who could read and write.
The most recent Survey of the Afghan People conducted by the Asia Foundation indicates that 17.6 per cent of Afghanistan's population has access to the internet, of which 14.4 per cent use the internet as their main source of news and information. However, observing the internal breakdown of this 14.4 per cent figure reveals a marked gender differential, as it is composed by 23.2 per cent of men indicating the internet as their main source coupled with 5.6 per cent of women
Results from the survey show that in Afghanistan both women and men are likely to rely on traditional means of communication, such as radio and television, to learn about COVID 19. However, in terms of the internet as an individual's main source of information on the pandemic, gender differentials emerge.
An estimated 17 per cent of men identified the internet and social media as their main source of information, whereas this figure was only 7 per cent for women. In comparison, 26 per cent of women stated that the community  ( including family and friends )  was their main source of information on COVID 19
More clearance of explosive ordnances  ( EO ) , especially of single items like mortars, rockets and aircraft bombs must be done to save lives and prevent casualties amongst children.
The Mine Action Sector is making progress in improving risk education and is using child friendly materials to reduce risk for children.
"The international community has an obligation to step up and ensure the safety, health and well being of millions of Afghan children put at risk by circumstances beyond their control. Now is the time to show solidarity with a country ravaged by decades of conflict, vulnerable to the effects of climate change and caught in the grip of a global health crisis.' Milan Dinic, Save the Children's Country Director in Afghanistan.
The latest UN estimates suggest 14 million people in Afghanistan – nearly 40 percent of the population – now need help to survive this year, up from 9.4 million just six months ago – that's nearly a 50 percent increase since December 2019.
Like everywhere else, social and economic life in Afghanistan has been disrupted by the pandemic. But unlike many other countries, this disruption exacerbates the inequalities and hardships that come with decades of protracted conflict. “War disturbed normal life in Afghanistan during the past four decades', says Hameed Attaiy, Cordaid's Programme Director in Kabul.“ All political, social, and economic norms have been distorted because of the war.
In 2020, more than five million children in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance just to survive. Yet this figure doesn't take into account the Coronavirus pandemic which is already spreading broadly unchecked, with potentially devastating consequences for the entire country.
As of September 2020, 11.15 million people  ( 36% of population )  were estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity  ( IPC  [ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ]  Phase 3 or above ) .
In April 2019, in Nangarhar Province, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan  ( UNAMA )  facilitated a peace jirga between two tribes in Sherzad district, in which, for the first time, women participated. The jirga concluded with the adoption of a resolution regulating water distribution.
On 11 March 2020, the President of Afghanistan signed a decree for the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners, in two phases. The first 1,500 prisoners would be released based on age, health and remaining sentence. The remaining 3,500 Taliban prisoners would be released conditionally on progress in intra Afghan negotiations and further reductions in Taliban violence. All releases required guarantees that the prisoners would not return to combat.
At a time when the pandemic curve was rising sharply and when all major airlines had suspended flights to and from Afghanistan, UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  used the Mission's air as sets for special flights to Frankfurt, Germany, Addis Ababa, Islamabad and Kathmandu to reduce the footprint and ensure the rotation of critical personnel. All of the flights were carried out on a cost recovery basis. The Mission's assets were also effectively used for medical evacuation operations within the country.
As at 4 August, 34 polio cases had been confirmed since 1 January, compared with 29 cases in all of 2019. Most of the cases are in areas where house  to house vaccination campaigns had been banned since May 2018.
In addition, COVID 19 related movement restrictions have caused bureaucratic impediments, slowing down partners' planned activities.
Between 21 May and 30 June, health partners provided medical assistance to over 321,534 people, 61 per cent of whom were women and girls.
The United Nations and its partners provided 26,062 metric tons of food between 21 May and 30 July, reaching 69,673 people displaced by conflict, 472,031 people affected by COVID 19 and 16,506 people affected by natural disasters.
Without systematic tracking, the death toll of the pandemic is believed to be an underestimation. National health care facilities continued to report challenges in treating patients with COVID 19, owing to shortages of supplies and trained staff.
The spread of COVID 19 continued to have a disproportionate impact on women and girls. There are indications that women have limited access to COVID 19 related information and health care services, that they face job losses and that they have experienced increased levels of violence and incidents of child marriage.
On 17 June, the National Assembly approved a $229 million loan from the International Monetary Fund to address the crisis.
On 8 June, the Cabinet established a working group of the Ministries of Finance and Public Health and the Independent Directorate of Local Governance to promote the response to COVID 19 needs.
On the occasion of Eid al Fitr, on 21 May, the President issued a third decree to pardon and commute the sentences of prisoners in order to prevent the spread of COVID 19 in prisons.
During the reporting period, UNAMA  [ UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan ]  documented 39 cases of violence against women and girls, including 19 cases of beating, 6 murders, 4 rapes, 3 cases of forced self immolation or suicide, 2 cases of harassment, 1 forced marriage, 2 case s of forced prostitution, 1 case causing injury or disability, and 1 underage marriage.
It is expected that the indirect impact of the COVID 19 crisis on the refugee population will be severe. With refugees already facing serious obstacles to exercising rights and accessing basic services, the socio economic impact of losing income for a period of weeks or months creates a serious risk of propelling this population into negative coping mechanisms.
Attacks on health care continued during the year's second quarter, with 18 conflict related incidents affecting health care facilities and workers: 13 were perpetrated by the Taliban, 4 by Afghan national security forces and 1 by an unknown actor. Of the 18 incidents, 12 were direct attacks, inc luding targeted killings, abductions and threats against health care workers by the Taliban, and an air strike against a health care clinic, as well as threats to health care workers by the Afghan national security forces.
The COVID  19 pandemic is believed to have increased the vulnerability of children to recruitment and use by parties to the conflict, including owing to deepening poverty, restrictions on movement and reduced access to essential services, such as education.
To address this  [ gaps in knowledge of COVID 19 among the population ] , Samuel Hall launched a call centre in Kabul to collect information from 401 randomly selected Afghan households  ( 333 men and 68 women were interviewed )  across 33 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, in June 2020.
UNHCR has assured the Government of its technical and financial support and will continue to provide assistance to vulnerable families through its ‘Persons with Specific Needs'  ( PSN )  programme. The Government has indicated its intention to register and issue legal documentation to these refugees and UNHCR has assured the Government of its support for these efforts.
UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  will take immediate action to benefit from newly created initiatives and funds to fight the outbreak of COVID 19 like: 1. Tencent announced the launch of the Global Anti Pandemic Fund, a $100 million effort designed to help curb the devastating spread of COVID 19. The news follows the launch of $100 million funds from fellow tech giants Netflix and Facebook. The initial funding will go to practical and vitally important health supply donations, including protective gear and other products for hospitals and healthcare first responders.
The deterioration of the security situation in provinces, which triggers the displacement of rural population to cities during the current and projection analysis periods, including during spring, can increase the probability of conflict. On average, around 500,000 people migrate to secure areas every year because of conflict.
Regarding funding opportunities, UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  can help to identify, in collaboration with the World Bank, other IFIs  [ International Financial Institutions ]  and the Global Fund, resources that can be mobilized immediately. Possible focus areas include offering mass testing for the virus, protecting workers' health, expanding medical facilities, and contributing to economic recovery. Act fast by adopting fund raising instruments that use advanced technology such Crowdfunding. UNDP can use an existing Crowdfunding Platform to raise donations such as Youcaring.com, Causes, Give  Forward, Crowdrise, GoFundme, FundRazr, Indiegogo, Kickstarter etc. UNDP can also have its own UNDP Crowdfunding Platform that can be used also for SDGs project financing.
UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  stands firm in its support to Afghanistan. In close dialogue and consultations with the government and United Nations Country Team  ( UNCT ) , it is examining ways to develop stronger partnerships with other international organizations such as the Global Fund and World Bank. It is currently reprogramming existing resources in line with the identification of critical measures that would strengthen the health system, contain the economic impact, and provide social support to mitigate the adverse health and economic effect on citizens. Assisting the government in devising a cash transfer or other income support program is also being explored along with a stimulus package to the MSMEs  [ Medium and Small Size Enterprises ]  and Private Public Development Programs.
The UNDP established 15 fixed health centers and 11 mobile health teams and 2 home follow up teams  which will significantly expand prevention, diagnosis, and management of COVID 19.
The UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  has engaged in supporting health sector in Afghanistan under its Social Protection umbrella program. UNDP is repurposing and mobilizing funds to support Afghanistan's initial national response, prevention and mitigation activities, and preparation for longer term development interventions in subsequent phases. With international partners it is working to procure personal protective equipment  ( PPE )  and other health supplies.
In light of the UN's Global Action, UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  Afghanistan Office has developed a portfolio of ten programmes designed to address the vision and priorities expressed in the new ANPDF  ( Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework   ANPDF II  ( 2021  2025 )  ) , particularly in support of the Government's core objectives of self reliance, peace and recovery from COVID 19.
UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  prioritizes its support in expanding health facilities and services for police. UNDP will continue to support the Government in prioritizing, piloting and upscaling its programs in security, peace, and rule of law that are paramount for effective pathways for recovery from COVID 19 and economic development.
As per UNDP  [ UN Development Programme ]  and UNICEF estimates increase in poverty rate and MPI  [ Multi dimensional Poverty Index ]  are likely to reach double digits  ( respectively around 11 13 percentage points )  during COVID 19 pandemic. Under this condition, the most promising universal benefit can be to grant a social pension to the elderly. In terms of more targeting measures, a promising measure may be public works for poor households in poor regions. Income support programs for a period of 6 moths targeting only IDPs, only returnees or only unemployed as per official statistics would fall within the Government's budget.
This  [ 11.15 million people estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity ]  included an estimated 3.6 million people classified in Emergency  ( IPC  [ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ]  Phase 4 )  and another 7.54 million people classified in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 )  nationwide.
Across the urban areas, around 2.53 million people  ( 34% )  were facing high levels of acute food insecurity  ( IPC  [ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ]  Phase 3 or above ) , of which 852,000 people  ( 11.3% )  were classified in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 ) . Of these, 11 cities, Maimana  ( Faryab center )  were classified in Emergency  ( IPC Phase 4 ) ; nine in Crisis  ( IPC Phase 3 ) , namely Mazar  ( in Balkh Province ) , Pul e Khumri  ( Baghlan ) , Kabul, Jalalabad  ( Nangarhar ) , Sheberghan  ( Jawzjan ) , Lashkargah  ( Hilmand ) , Kandahar, Hirat and Taluqan  ( Takhar )
The provinces of Nuristan, Wardak, Uruzgan, Kandahar, and Laghman faced the highest level of shocks  [ according to the 2020 SFSA  [ Seasonal Food Security Assessment ]  ] , with more than 90% of household affected.
The proportion of households with a moderate to severe level of hunger  ( Households Hunger Score )  has increased  ( +11% ) , as well as the proportion of households allocating more than 75% of their monthly expenditure to food  ( +12% ) .
In the current period, corresponding to the post harvest season, out of all 34 provinces, four rural areas of analysis  ( Badakhshan, Daikundi, Ghor and Uruzgan )  and one urban analytical domain  ( Maimana city in Faryab province )  were classified in Emergency  ( IPC [ Integrated Food Security Phase Classification ]  Phase 4 ) ,
Of the displaced children living in hard to reach areas attending school, only 6% have followed their school curriculum remotely since school closure.