Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

Most vulnerable people affected by conflict and/or other situations of violence in Afghanistan are able to meet their basic needs, notably regarding food/nutrition, access to water and sanitation facilities, and access to quality health-care services.

Expected results

The ICRC aims to achieve following programme results, reaching 2,8 Mio. affected and most vulnerable people:

R1: Economic Security - Livelihood related and basic needs gaps (food, etc.) for 134,000 vulnerable people affected by conflict/violence and people deprived of their freedom are reduced;

R2: Water and Habitat - Access to safe water and sanitation for 2,743,950 individuals (civilian residents, displaced and/or returnees, detainees) established / secured;

R2: Health - Health service provision supported and strengthened in 93 health centers;

R3: Medical Care - Basic health-care provision secured in 54 hospitals and 31 physical rehabilitation projects.

Target group / Beneficiaries

With an Austrian contribution of EUR 2 Mio. the ICRC will be able to reach 60.000 individual beneficiaries. Activities will be implemented through the ICRC Afghanistan Delegation and Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in following regions: Kandahar, Helmand, Sarpoza, Lashkar Gah, Farah, Herat, Kabul, Khost, Jalalabad, Ghanzi, Mazar-e-Sharif, Bagram, Gulbahar.

Activities

Economic Security: Cash distributions to victims of violence and others with protection-related concerns; train pregnant or lactating women and mothers of young children in good nutrition; and give their families cash; give drought-affected farmers financial assistance to buy agricultural tools and supplies for growing food and for buying food during the lean season;

Water and Habitat: Repair or install boreholes, hand pumps and other small-scale water systems in rural or peri-urban areas; enlist the help of water-management committees equipped and trained by the ICRC; provide electrical companies with spare parts / supplies for operating energy stations; repair or construct water and sanitation facilities at primary-health-care facilities; upgrade irrigation systems, schools and other communal infrastructure and give returnees materials for repairing their shelters.

Context

After the establishment of a new government in Afghanistan was announced on September 7th 2021, hostilities have stopped in most parts of the country - however, violence persists in many regions and cities. The situation of multiple armed groups, especially the IS, complicates security.

The suspension of foreign financial assistance that was suspended after the establishment of the new government poses one of the most significant factors that currently exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the country. Markets, money exchanges, banks and businesses are functioning only partially, prices of food, medicine and other essential goods are soaring. The economy and health systems that have been supported by donors and humanitarian agencies are on the brink of collapse. To add to that, a third of the country is still suffering under a drought, the second in four years. The people of Afghanistan are struggling to cope with these conditions - the consequences of decades of armed conflict and political instability, chronic poverty, food shortages, the pandemic, natural disasters and the effects of climate change. Between November 2021 and March 2022, over 22 million Afghans are expected to have become food insecure. Malnutrition has been increasing among children under the age of five and up to 90% of the overall population is projected to fall under the poverty line by the end of the year.