Afghanistan
2023-12 Factsheet - Afghanistan
Highlights
While displacement induced by conflict has reduced in the past few years, the sudden influx of forced returnees, economic shocks, recurrent floods, earthquakes, and other natural disaster events continued into Q4 2023. These events, were compounded by residual shelter needs for more than 30,000 families affected by the earthquakes in Herat, seasonal winter and shelter needs for forced returnees and the heightened risk of evictions for IDPs residing in informal settlements.
Residual needs from the impact of three powerful (6.3 magnitude) earthquakes struck Herat Province, western Afghanistan, remained a critical driver of need for the shelter Cluster. In addition to loss of life and injury, the earthquakes – which struck several villages multiple times – destroyed critical civilian infrastructure, including homes, health facilities, schools, and water networks. These earthquakes left thousands of already-vulnerable families in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, with shelter, food, and water and sanitation needs particularly high. More than 48,000 families directly affected, with some 10,113 homes having been destroyed, 20,924 houses severely damaged and 17,596 moderately damaged across 394 villages, and 9 districts of Herat Province. The earthquakes struck vulnerable communities – which were already grappling with decades of conflict and under-development – and left them with little resilience to cope with multiple, simultaneous shocks. Similarly, the earthquake resulted in significant needs for persons with specific needs who constitute 22 per cent of the affected families. More than 48,600 families remain in open space, makeshift structures, tents, partially or destroyed houses, which are unsafe, lack privacy, dignity, leaving children, the elderly, women, exposed to severe sandstorms, and the cold harsh weather and in urgent and dire need of emergency shelter, repair, retrofitting and transitional shelter assistance.
The sudden influx of 1.3 million documented and undocumented returnees from Pakistan triggered emergency shelter, NFI, seasonal winter needs and shelter repair and transitional shelters support for more than 530,000 documented and undocumented returnees at border points and the need for shelter repair and transitional shelter needs at points of destinations.
Despite a decrease in the number of settlements over the past two years, a large population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) still residing in 893 informal settlements, with an estimated 450,000 households, which includes recent returnees from Pakistan. De facto authorities (DfA) continued to push for the return of IDPs and people living in informal settlements and clearance of informal settlements, particularly those sitting on government and private land.
The ES-NFI Cluster continues all its core activities, ensuring that crisis affected-people of all genders and diversities – including vulnerable groups with specific protection needs – have immediate and adequate access to emergency shelter; non-food items; transitional shelter; shelter repairs and winterization support – to address needs from the impact of natural disasters, conflict, cross-border returns, and the lack of recovery, driven by the multi-faceted crises. These efforts are facilitated through the Cluster Coordination, Camp Management and Camp Coordination (CCCM), which includes the care and maintenance of infrastructure in informal settlements (ISET).
NFI
Shelter
Coverage against targets
Need analysis
While shelter needs have continued to improve over the last two years, these needs remain considerable especially among rural, recent-returnee and female-headed households with three out of four households facing shelter issues. According to whole of Afghanistan, 63 per cent of households report at least one shelter issue, a reduction from 84 per cent in 2022. This is, however, higher among female headed households and recent-returnee populations (76 per cent). The range of shelter issues reported by households includes minor damage to roof (30 per cent), leaking during rain (29 per cent) and damage to walls (29 per cent) and lack of insulation from cold & heat (14 per cent). Equally, according to whole of Afghanistan, 30 percent of households live in inadequate shelters. This is similar across population groups – except for refugees (78 per cent) and is heightened for rural HHs (33 per cent) compared to urban ones (21 per cent). The need for shelter and NFI assistance remains significantly high among refugees, with 93 percent and 83 per cent respectively, citing shelter and NFI assistance as their 2nd and 3rd top priority needs after food.
Residual needs from the impact of three powerful (6.3 magnitude) earthquakes struck Herat Province, western Afghanistan, remain a critical driver of need for the shelter Cluster. More than 48,600 families remain in open space, makeshift structures, tents, partially or destroyed houses, which are unsafe, lack privacy, dignity, leaving children, the elderly, women, exposed to severe sandstorms, and the cold harsh weather and in urgent and dire need of emergency shelter, repair, retrofitting and transitional shelter assistance. Equally, the sudden influx of 1.3 million documented and undocumented returnees from Pakistan triggered emergency shelter, NFI, seasonal winter needs and shelter repair and transitional shelters support for more than 530,000 documented and undocumented returnees at border points and the need for shelter repair and transitional shelter needs at points of destinations. Many of those returning came back to communities devastated by conflict, natural disasters and other economic vulnerabilities. Considering the high cost of shelter repairs, and the negative net income of households, reconstruction comes at a high cost that many cannot afford. Most Afghan household are unable to sustain any major impact that severely damage or destroy their shelter, many must make choices between meeting basic needs or repairing their shelters.
Despite a decrease in the number of settlements over the past two years, a large population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) still residing in 893 informal settlements, with an estimated 450,000 households, which includes recent returnees from Pakistan. De facto authorities (DfA) continued to push for the return of IDPs and people living in informal settlements and clearance of informal settlements, particularly those sitting on government and private land.
Freezing winter temperatures, acerbated by poor shelter conditions, limited financial capability to purchase fuel and heaters, road blockages during winter months, has a direct impact on the cluster response and notably, potentially drives women and girls into negative coping mechanisms including increased debt during the winter season. The lack of warm clothing, insulation, and heating heightens the risk of respiratory infections, hypothermia and preventable mortality among children and the elderly. The Whole of Afghanistan Assessment (WoAA) 2022 findings indicate winterization needs were widespread; 79% of households reported reliance on inadequate heating sources and 45% of households reported having no access to sufficient blankets for the forthcoming winter season. The cluster continued to prioritize the provision of winter clothing, blankets, heating support & shelter repair support for vulnerable households residing especially in high altitude locations, exposed to extreme & severe cold temperatures including Nuristan, Badakhshan, Parwan, Baghlan, Bamyan, Daykundi, Kabul, Wardak, Ghor, Panjsher, and Ghazni provinces.
Response
Of the 1.2 million people targeted with emergency shelter and NFI assistance, the shelter Cluster and its partners have assisted 841,074 people with shelter, NFI and seasonal winter assistance.
This includes:
1. 113,784 people were provided with emergency shelter assistance including rental support.
2. 287,695 people received basic household items (standard NFI packages).
3. 216,594 people received support to reconstruct or repair their homes.
4. 355,214 vulnerable individuals received heating/ fuel, blankets, and clothes to mitigate protection, health and other risks associated with harsh winter conditions.
5. 88,281 people received support to construct transitional and durable shelter.
Gaps / challenges
1. Ban on female humanitarian workers: The ban has impacted direct access to female members of the community. This may result having no representative feedback and information on their need and proper responses specially for the female headed households.
2. Increased bureaucratic impediments from DfA: The signing of MoU agreement is resulting in delayed project implementations. e.g. heavy reporting requirement; lengthy, unclear and non-standard signing procedure.
3. Resources constraints owing to multiple emergencies. Partners lack capacity, funding and /or stockpiles to address ongoing and emerging needs for affected families. Cluster has received only 49% of the overall required fund for 2023.
4. Extensive repair, retrofitting and rebuilding needs from recurrent natural disasters - Transitional shelter, repair and rebuild efforts for earthquake affected and returnees is critical to preventing a cycle back into humanitarian needs.
5. Nearly one-third of households in Afghanistan live in inadequate shelter.
6. Challenging operational environment and meaningful engagement with women and girls.
