Afghanistan: Humanitarian Dashboard (1 January - 31 December 2014)

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Afghanistan swore in Ashraf Ghani as its second democratically elected president in 2014. The period of political uncertainty surrounding the election fuelled further violence in the country. The year saw an increase in conflict related deaths, injuries and displacement, an influx of 280,178 Pakistanis seeking refuge in Afghanistan, significant malnutrition needs, and massive flooding in the north with 7,643 homes destroyed.

Across Afghanistan, regional IDP Task Forces reported more than 156,200 persons displaced by conflict in 2014 compared to 124,900 in 2013. Protection services were provided to 35,400 persons, including nearly 21,000 children not able to attend school. The immediate food security and livelihood recovery needs of over 131,000 individuals were met through food, cash, and voucher assistance. Water and sanitation support was provided to over 200,000 displaced persons and returnees living in camp settings and with host communities.

Spring floods in the north and the northeast destroyed 7,643 houses. While the critical needs of people were met in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, major constraints in addressing the shelter needs of those affected by flooding in the north persisted through the year. While more than 3,500 shelters were funded, significant funding gaps went unmet and slow construction resulted in 3,800 families entering winter without adequate shelter. With the onset of winter, cash for fuel vouchers were distributed to 2,821 families still without shelter to help them through the winter months.

Elsewhere, collective emergency assistance from humanitarian agencies met the immediate needs of 120,000 people through in-country stocks and emergency health services were provided to 28,000 individuals. Across the country, more than 186,000 acutely vulnerable natural disaster affected individuals benefited from safe drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene promotion activities.

The 2013 National Nutrition Survey highlighted an alarming level of acute malnutrition across the country. Despite Nutrition Cluster achievements in reaching nearly 90 per cent of targeted beneficiaries for 2014, the 117,980 children under five years of age who received treatment must be viewed within the broader context of an estimated 1.2 million understood to be in need. In 2015, significant improvements must be made to ensure nutrition services reach more children particularly in areas where rates of severe acute malnutrition are well above emergency thresholds.