no WASH facilities. At times, these is important to note here that the families are also sheltered in temporary Afghanistan already has highest level of camps without safe water, latrines and stunting in the world (already an bathing facilities. As a result, these emergency situation as per WHO) and population use unprotected water sources very high level of under-five prevalence of and practice open defecation. The key diarrhoea. These repeated emergencies protective measures from water-borne expose people to additional risks, further diseases such as handwashing with soap at worsen the already precarious situation. critical times is compromised in such Not able to provide adequate WASH conditions. In these situations, women and services in humanitarian situation means girls are at risk of harassment and young not only risking the lives of nearly 350,000 children and sick people are exposed to under-five children but also violating the life-threatening diseases such as acute basic rights of more than 1.1 million diarrhoea, cholera, ARI and measles. people and compromise the dignity of over Diarrheal disease, if not treated, traps 400,000 women and adolescent girls that young children in a vicious circle of might face abuse and harassment in malnutrition and diarrhoea leading to absence of these basic services. chronic malnutrition and potential death. It Guiding documents and References: The following documents and references were used for informing the need overview of the WASH sector: Afghanistan National Living Standard Survey 2013 2014 –
no WASH facilities. At times, these families are also sheltered in temporary camps without safe water, latrines and bathing facilities. As a result, these population use unprotected water sources and practice open defecation. The key protective measures from water-borne diseases such as handwashing with soap at critical times is compromised in such conditions. In these situations, women and girls are at risk of harassment and young children and sick people are exposed to life-threatening diseases such as acute diarrhoea, cholera, ARI and measles. Diarrheal disease, if not treated, traps young children in a vicious circle of malnutrition and diarrhoea leading to chronic malnutrition and potential death. It is important to note here that the Afghanistan already has highest level of stunting in the world (already an emergency situation as per WHO) and very high level of under-five prevalence of diarrhoea. These repeated emergencies expose people to additional risks, further worsen the already precarious situation. Not able to provide adequate WASH services in humanitarian situation means not only risking the lives of nearly 350,000 under-five children but also violating the basic rights of more than 1.1 million people and compromise the dignity of over 400,000 women and adolescent girls that might face abuse and harassment in absence of these basic services. Guiding documents and References: The following documents and references were used for informing the need overview of the WASH sector: Afghanistan National Living Standard Survey 2013 – 2014
wash_cluster_detail_operational_plan_-_hrp_2017_final_10th_february_2017.docx