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Humanitarian Response Plan Afghanistan Issued June 2020 HUMANITARIAN HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMME CYCLE 2020 MID-YEAR REVISION RESPONSE PLAN ISSUED JUNE 2020 AFGHANISTAN 2018 - 2021 1 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN 2018 - 2021 About Get the latest updates This document is consolidated by OCHA on behalf of the Humanitarian Country OCHA coordinates humanitarian action to ensure Team and partners. It provides a shared understanding of the crisis, including the crisis-affected people receive the assistance and protection they need. It works to overcome obstacles most pressing humanitarian needs and the estimated number of people who need that impede humanitarian assistance from reaching assistance. It represents a consolidated evidence base and helps inform joint people affected by crises, and provides leadership in strategic response planning. mobilizing assistance and resources on behalf of the The designations employed and the presentation of material in the report do not humanitarian system. imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the www.unocha.org/afghanistan United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of twitter.com/ochaafg its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. PHOTO ON COVER Photo: Jim Huylenbroek Humanitarian Response aims to be the central website for Information Management tools and services, enabling information exchange between clusters and IASC members operating within a protracted or sudden onset crisis. afg.humanitarianresponse.info Humanitarian InSight supports decision-makers by giving them access to key humanitarian data. It provides the latest verified information on needs and delivery of the humanitarian response as well as financial contributions. www.hum-insight.info The Financial Tracking Service (FTS) is the primary provider of continuously updated data on global humanitarian funding, and is a major contributor to strategic decision making by highlighting gaps and priorities, thus contributing to effective, efficient and principled humanitarian assistance. fts.unocha.org 02 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents 05 Foreword by the Humanitarian Coordinator 47 Part 3: Sectoral Objectives and Response Overview of Sectoral Response 06 COVID-19 and the Afghanistan Response HRP Education in Emergencies Revision – June 2020 Emergency Shelter and NFI Food Security and Agriculture 07 Response Plan Overview Health Strategic Response Objectives Nutrition Needs and Planned Response Protection HRP Key Figures 2020 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene People in Need Coordination and Common Services Refugee Chapter 15 Context of the Crisis 90 Part 4: Annexes 18 Part 1: Strategic Response Priorities Costing Methodology and Sectoral Activity Costing Response Analysis Participating Organisations Response Priorities by Strategic Objective Planning Figures by Sector Cross-Cutting Response Priorities Planning Figures by Region Cash Programming What if We Fail to Respond? Operational Capacity and Access How to Contribute Logframe 40 Part 2: Monitoring and Accountability Acronyms Monitoring End Notes Collective Accountability 03 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN 2018 - 2021 HIRAT, WESTERN AFGHANISTAN 04 March 2020. Returnees from Iran receive assistance at a transit centre in Hirat. Photo: OCHA FOREWORD BY THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR Foreword by the Humanitarian Coordinator The arrival of COVID-19 in Afghanistan has COVID-19 could outstrip the direct health In 2020, the unprecedented scale of need brought heartache to millions of people who impact from the virus itself, sending demands that we aim higher and do more are now battling a deadly pandemic while people spiralling into financial insecurity to relieve suffering, including finding more simultaneously fighting for their survival and, in some cases, acute humanitarian durable solutions that help in rebuilding amid poverty, disaster and war. Over my need. For this reason, we have revised the people’s lives and connecting them with three years as Humanitarian Coordinator, Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for longer-term development programmes that I have marvelled at the resilience of the 2020 and now estimate a staggering 35 give communities – girls and boys, women people of this country to cope with the million people are in need of a social safety and men – the best chance of recovery. The hardships of life in the world’s deadliest net, 14 million of whom are now in acute 2018-2019 drought response demonstrated conflict – but even this remarkable strength humanitarian need. This is up from 9.4 that the international community has room to is now being tested by the health, social and million at the start of the year. improve in terms of connecting humanitarian and development work on both sides of the economic consequences of COVID-19. The A key driver of this increase is hunger. house. I am pleased to see that the COVID-19 virus is spreading across the country with COVID-19 has put the world on the brink of response has already shown a change frightening speed. Every province is now a hunger pandemic and Afghanistan is on in approach with common analysis and impacted, and people are understandably the front line. A third of the country is facing complementary planning now underway, in frightened. acute food insecurity including almost 4 particular with the World Bank. A massive health response has swung million people at the emergency level – one into action under the leadership of the of the highest figures in the world. COVID- The stakes for the response could not be Government of Afghanistan. This work has 19, movement restrictions, the inability to higher at such a sensitive and fragile moment been guided by health-focused prevention work and rising food prices are also pushing in the country’s conflict-ravaged recent and response plans developed by the this food crisis into urban areas on a scale history. While the potential for peace has not Ministry of Public Health with support not previously seen. Further adding to this yet been fully realised, and fighting continues, from the World Health Organization (WHO), increased estimate of need is a frightening moves towards reducing hostilities are an a wider government ‘Master Plan’ for protection outlook, particularly for women encouraging signal of hope. Peace remains responding to the impacts of COVID-19 and children, in light of COVID-19. Gender- the most important step in breaking the cycle and an initial three-month Multi-Sector based violence (GBV) is increasing and of aid dependency, alleviating suffering and Humanitarian Country Plan. Ten testing could soar. Worsening poverty is expected getting Afghanistan back on its feet. Until laboratories are now up and running, to place increasing numbers of children at that happens, the humanitarian community thousands of additional isolation and risk from negative coping strategies such as remains steadfast in its support of the people intensive care beds have been made early marriage and child labour. of Afghanistan as they navigate the turbulent times. available, training of health staff in infection People’s survival will depend on the 161 control is being scaled-up, more than a dedicated humanitarian organisations I am confident that with the ongoing support million people have been reached with operating in Afghanistan staying and of donors and continued commitment and water and hygiene assistance to stymie the continuing their hard work in support of investment of partners – humanitarian and spread of the virus and safety messages are the Government, under the most difficult development – and the Government’s lead - reaching millions of people in every corner of conditions. For that we will require generous we can ensure that timely assistance reaches the country. support from donors, in a demonstration of the growing number of people in need as a This decisive early action lays a strong solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. result of conflict, disaster and COVID-19. The foundation for the response, but the sheer The revised HRP requests $1.1 billion to people of Afghanistan are counting on us all. scale and likely duration of the crisis reach 11.1 million of the most vulnerable gripping the country requires us all to step people with life-saving assistance until up and give more. the end of the year. A comprehensive programme of assistance is planned to In a country where more than 90 per cent of address not only new needs arising from the population is living in extreme poverty Toby Lanzer COVID-19 but also pre-existing needs that and 80 per cent rely on informal labour to are just as pressing, if not more so, in the Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan survive, the economic consequences of context of the pandemic. 05 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE PLAN 2018 - 2021 COVID-19 and the Afghanistan Response HRP Revision – June 2020 After 40 years of war, annual natural disasters and persistent poverty, the and war, are also taking their toll on the mental health of people living in people of Afghanistan have been dealt another deadly blow from COVID- Afghanistan. Hunger and malnutrition remain at dangerously high levels 19. Less than six months since the virus’ emergence, its humanitarian despite the passing of the drought with 12.4 million people forecast to consequences are now affecting every aspect of life and threatening the be in crisis or emergency food insecurity between June and November of survival and well-being of the most vulnerable by creating new needs and 2020. exacerbating existing ones. The virus has
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