UNOCHA, Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin GriffithsStatement for the Security Council Briefing on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan, 20 December 2022
“Half of the people urgently need access to clean water and sanitation.”
UNICEF, Afghanistan Appeal Humanitarian Action for Children, December 2022
“Sixty-four per cent of surveyed households are affected by drought, with 79 percent reporting lack of water and 51 percent reporting no access to improved latrines.”
UNHCR, Afghanistan: UNHCR Operational update - September 2022, 7 November 2022
“The shortages of safe water for drinking and handwashing have been causes of waterborne diseases such as watery diarrhoea outbreaks particularly among children.“
ILO, Afghanistan The Employment - Environment - Climate Nexus Employment and environmental sustainability factsheet, November 2022
“As shown in Figure 6, around 50.5 per cent of the population had access to at least basic sanitation services in 2020.13 This represents a change from 21.9 in 2000. Around 75.1 per cent of the population were using at least basic drinking water services (from 28.2 per cent in 2000); 97.7 per cent had access to electricity (from 1.6 per cent in 2000); and 33.2 per cent had access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking (from 6.2 per cent in 2000).14”
UNICEF, Afghanistan Humanitarian Situation Report No. 11, 31 October 2022
"Prolonged drought across the country, felt hardest in the Southern, Northern, and Western Regions, continued to impact the availability of and access to safe drinking water. A third consecutive La Niña weather event is likely to persist into the 2022-2023 winter, worsening drought conditions. According to the recent Whole of Afghanistan Assessment, 79 per cent of households reported they do not have sufficient water for their daily needs, including for drinking, cooking, bathing or hygiene.
[…]
“In October, UNICEF continued to support emergency WASH interventions in parts of the country affected by floods, earthquakes, drought, and disease outbreaks. More than 730,000 people gained access to safe water through water trucking, rehabilitation of water supply systems, installation of solar systems, construction of new water supply systems, and water quality monitoring and chlorination.”
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Afghanistan: Earthquake Response Situation Report No. 4, 31 October 2022
“Needs: • Some 58 per cent of assessed households report not having sufficient water, while 63 per cent report water quality issues, and 65 per cent require WASH assistance primarily for clean water and hygiene purposes. Of
126 hand pumps in affected villages, 37 per cent are either damaged or destroyed; further, of 114 karez (underground irrigation tunnels for community-based water management) 33 per cent are reported as damaged or destroyed. • Similarly, 55 per cent of assessed villages do not widely use latrines, while 95 per cent of assessed villages report open defecation. • WASH supplies including hygiene kits, chlorine tabs, hand washing soap etc. are required to support hygiene promotion and safe water handling.”
Tolo News, 120 People Killed by Flooding in Past Month, 31 July 2022
“The State Ministry for Disaster Management said that in addition to human losses, the flood caused heavy financial damage to citizens by affecting thousands of acres of agricultural land. "120 people have been martyred and 152 others were wounded in these floods," said Mohammad Naseem Haqqani, a spokesman for the State Ministry for Disaster Management. Meanwhile, the residents of Paktia province said that the recent floods have affected the drinking water in the province.
"There have been some human losses and damages in the districts. It affected the streets," said Asadullah, a resident of Paktia. "The canals and wells which the people have been using for drinking water and agricultural lands have been destroyed," said Rahmatullah Ziarmal, a resident of Paktia.Over the last month, the flooding occurred in more than ten provinces of Afghanistan and caused damage to public construction, including highways and roads.”
Tolo News, Kabul Facing Water Shortages: AUWSSC, 24 July 2022
“The Afghanistan Urban Water Supply and Sewage Corporation (AUWSSC) said that Kabul is facing an extreme decrease in groundwater.”
[…] “According to environmental analysts, lack of water-supplying networks and inappropriate use of groundwater
are the main reason for the drop of water levels in the capital city of Kabul.”
AVA, Water shortages worsen in Kabul, 19 July 2022
“[…] the increase in population, high consumption of underground water, and climate change are among the reasons that have made Kabul city face lower water levels now than ever before.”
Pajhwok Afghan News (Afghan News Agency), Sar-i-Pul River water toxic, polluted: Official, 11 July 2022
"Environmental Protection Department officials say the Sar-i-Pul River water is polluted and toxic due to public negligence.
Abdul Hafeez Mohammadi, spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Department, said: “Sar-i-Pul has a big river, whose water flows into canals at seven points. The water is polluted and poisoned due to the negligence of people living on both sides of the river.”
People threw their garbage into the river and allowed sewage from their homes to flow into the river, he alleged. As a result, the river water has been contaminated.
“Factories clean their machines in the river. Dirty household items are washed in Sar-i-Pul River — activities that have polluted the Sar-i-Pul River.” He said the government was taking steps to ensure the protection of river water from pollution."
Pajhwok Afghan News (Afghan News Agency), Falling riverwater level worries Helmand residents, 9 July 2022
"Farmers in southern Helmand province say the water level in the main river has declined, posing a serious threat to their crops.
The water management director acknowledged the decline in the Helmand River water level, urging growers to avoid wasting the precious resource. Abdul Ali, a farmer from Nawa district, told Pajhwok Afghan News the water level had fallen and their crops were on the verge of destruction. Majeed Khan, a resident of the Shna village of Nawa, also complained of a water shortage and looming drought. Mohammad YaqobQaem, director of water management, explained the water level in the Kajaki dam had also decreased.Currently, the official said, farmers were being given water from Helmand River to prevent crops from being damaged."
Khaama News (Afghan News Agency), UNOCHA: Germany Contributes €50 Million to Afghanistan Humanitarian
Fund, 6 July 2022
"Afghanistan’s poverty and unemployment have increased due to the country’s political unrest and drought. […] more than 22 million people, or more than half of the country’s population, are experiencing extreme hunger, with the majority unable to predict when their next meal will be, according to the United Nations World Food Program."
Pajhwok Afghan News (Afghan News Agency), 30pc of Daikundi residents lack access to potable water, 6 July 2022
"At least 30 percent of residents of central Daikundi province have no access to potable water, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency…"
The Khaama Press, Afghanistan and Iran Strike an Agreement Over Helmand River Water-Sharing, 21 June 2022
“According to an official from the Ministry of Energy and Water, Afghanistan and Iran have resolved their water- sharing disagreement and struck an agreement on the Helmand water pact. The Ministry of Energy and Water said that the water of the Helmand River will be shared with Iran this year, in accordance with the Helmand Water Treaty signed between the two countries in 1973. […] Although Afghanistan is considered to be a “self-sufficient” country in terms of its waters, but the lack of water infrastructure has rendered Afghanistan to have “one of the lowest levels of water storage capacity in the world.”
Ariana News, Benefits of proper water management of Salma Dam seen across Herat: Officials, 13 June 2022
“The Director General of the Harirod-Murghab River Basin, Abdul Salam Mustawafi Agha, said that about 85 dams will be built across the country in the next five years, and that some economic problems will be eased with proper management of dams. “If we have money in our development budget, it should be spent on building dams because our country is agricultural. If our water is controlled and is used safely, our many economic problems will be solved,” he said. In the meantime, Herat officials said local farmers have welcomed the improved water management of Salma Dam as they have been able to irrigate their crops.
“The water management has been very good this year and most of the farmers are happy because they irrigated their crops … they benefited from this water, and are now harvesting,” said Ghulam Farooq, one farmer. Experts have also said that the country’s river systems need to be better managed so as to strengthen the agriculture sector in the country. They have urged the IEA to invest more in this area. “There needs to be an agreement between us and the neighboring countries that the dams should be built in the right way to control the water. We don’t say that water should be cut off to the neighboring countries, the Islamic Emirate should have an agreement with the neighboring countries so that when a dam is built, it will not be destroyed by the destructive reaction of neighboring countries,” said Ghulam Habib Hashimi, chief of the Water Users Association in Herat.”
Aga Khan Foundation, EU grant to assist over 100,000 Afghans and their communities, 13 June 2022
“To address the acute shortage of safe drinking water due to drought and damaged water supply systems, reduce the prevalence of waterborne diseases and mitigate risks for women and girls who travel long distances to collect water, the project will rehabilitate or construct 68 wells and water piping systems to benefit over 20,000 people.”
"However, in the south, the situation is already dire: irrigation water is looking scarce. According to discussions with local people in Jaghatu district of Wardak province and Kandahar city, multiple wells have dried up and people are now lacking drinking water. On 5 April 2022, the Taleban announced they would release Dahla reservoir’s water for twenty-two days to enable farmers irrigate pomegranate orchards, but then stopped the water early. The Dahla reservoir in Kandahar, like the Kajaki in Helmand, did not fill fully. In a normal year, at this time, these dams would be overflowing. Recently, Azadi Radio reported that a person was killed in a water dispute between two villages in the Chak district of Wardak province. Such cases are expected across the country in the future if climate change-induced droughts are not handled."
3 June 2022
"In Afghanistan, where the political situation coupled with a severe drought resulted in an acute humanitarian crisis affecting much of the country, UNICEF responded with WASH interventions. This included support and supplies for water system chlorination, water trucking, the delivery of water and sanitation services in schools and hygiene promotion nationally. Nevertheless, targets were not met owing to multiple operational factors, such as border closures, supply chain disruptions and a range of monetary system issues, including the blocking of bank accounts of the country’s 32,000 Community Development Councils, which have been a critical implementing partners in the WASH sector."
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA), Kabul Pledges Commitment to Water Treaty with Iran, 23 April 2022
“The Islamic Emirate said it is ready to discuss the issues related to the Helmand river treaty between Kabul and Teheran and that it remains committed to the treaty.”
“It should be noted that, in addition to problematic coping mechanisms in response to food shortages, according the EET, assessed communities also experienced vulnerabilities related to drinking water, immediate healthcare and various community shocks.”
IOM (DTM), Afghanistan - Baseline Mobility and Community Based Needs Assessment (November-December 2021), 11 March 2022
“Shortages and water quality are the most common barriers to accessing clean water (faced by 72% and 53% of households respectively).”
ICRC, Time is running out to save millions of lives in Afghanistan, 25 February 2022
“Work has started to ensure the uninterrupted supply of drinking water in urban centres through support to public water and electricity utilities.”
Humanitarian Response of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Climate, Peace and Security Fact Sheet Afghanistan, 9 February 2022
“Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change: rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns and increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Currently, Afghanistan is experiencing its worst drought in 27 years, which, compounded with COVID-19 and the economic contraction that followed the takeover of the government by the Taliban in August 2021, has significantly increased livelihood and food insecurity and contributed to a growing humanitarian emergency.
● Climate change exacerbates the deteriorating conditions for agriculture-based livelihoods and food insecurity.
● Conflict and the effects of climate change have increased internal displacement and changed migration patterns. High levels of displacement accentuate food and livelihood insecurity and increase the vulnerability of marginalised groups, including women.
● The effects of climate change may heighten the risk of more frequent and intense local conflicts over land and water and increase tensions over transboundary resources.
● Conflict has eroded the resilience of communities and local authorities to adapt to climate change and to deal with the current humanitarian crisis. This creates opportunities for elites to manipulate and profit
from land and water disputes, with elevated risks for marginalised groups.”
Humanitarian Response (Afghanistan) United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
UNICEF Afghanistan Humanitarian Situation Report #1 1-15 January 2022, 7 February 2022
“UNICEF provided Humanitarian Cash Transfers (HCT) to 1,165 households (8,155 people including 4,902 children)
in Samangan province, targeting districts severely affected by drought.”
OCHA, Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Overview 2022, 7 January 2022
“Since the fall of Kabul in mid-August, the drinking water supply has drastically reduced in both quantitative and qualitative aspects in cities across the country. Due to financial and bureaucratic disruptions, Urban Water Supply and Sewerage State Owned Corporation (UWASS SoC) has slowed down or outright stopped the water supply to the point that less than 20 per cent of the urban population has access to piped water in cities including Kabul, Kandahar, Hirat, Mazar Jalalabad and Kunduz. The urban water networks and the basic equipment in the water pumping stations and storage systems – such as simply the chlorine dosing pumps – are in a poor repair and system water losses are high – up to 50-60 per cent in UWASS SoC’s estimate, resulting in contamination from surface drainage and untreated wastewater.”
TOLO News, UNICEF: Afghan children face ‘acute malnutrition’, 23 December 2021
“The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) highlighted the severe condition of Afghan children and estimated that "one in two children under five will be acutely malnourished in 2022 due to the food crisis and poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene services."
““Children across Afghanistan are increasingly vulnerable to disease and illness due to the deadly combination of rising malnutrition, an unprecedented food crisis, drought, disruptions to vital health and nutrition centers, lack of access to and poor quality of water and sanitation services, and crippling winter weather,” UNICEF said in a recent report.”
AP News, An Afghan village shrivels in worst drought in decades, 9 December 2021
“Afghanistan’s drought, its worst in decades, is now entering its second year, exacerbated by climate change. The dry spell has hit 25 of the country’s 34 provinces, and this year’s wheat harvest is estimated to be down 20% from the year before. Along with fighting, the drought has contributed to driving more than 700,000 people from their homes this year, and the onset of winter will only increase the potential for disaster.”
DTM, DTM: EMERGENCY EVENT TRACKING, 29 November 2021
“CFPs were also asked to rank their community’s most urgent needs. Cash and food were identified as the first priority needs, which aligns with reported community shocks in the past month. These include reduced income (94%), loss of employment (96%) and food price increase (95%) (see below). Drinking water and immediate healthcare were second and third priority needs, which is reflected in the reported risk of displacement due to water insecurity (55%) and the majority of communities without a health clinic or hospital (69%).”
Afghanistan Analysts Network,Global Warming and Afghanistan: Drought, hunger and thirst expected to worsen, 6 November 2021
"While the nations of the world come together at the COP26 to seek solutions to climate change, Afghanistan is already suffering from global warming. One of the worst droughts in recent years has caused rainfed wheat crops to fail, led to plummeting livestock prices and shortages in drinking water. 19 million people – nearly half of the
country’s population – are severely food insecure and require urgent assistance. AAN guest author Mohammad Assem Mayar,* a water resource management expert, maps out the severity of the drought and its effect on people and agriculture, explains how climate change will make drought in Afghanistan more common and looks at what should be done to mitigate their harm."
ACTED, September, DROUGHT EMERGENCY APPEAL Situation analysis and proposed response, September 2021 [exact date unknown]
“While Afghanistan has sufficient water for its population and production in aggregate terms, access, storage and efficiency of water use are extremely low due to mismanagement, destruction of systems, and lack of infrastructures and investment, with 88% of irrigation done through informal systems. Overall, it is estimated that 90% of Afghanistan’s water consumption is for agricultural purposes, of which over 50% is lost due to inefficient systems and management. When faced with drought conditions, these issues result in severe WASH needs and water scarcity, especially in rural areas, leading to a lack of access and availability of water. ”