Gender Alert 2: Gender Impact of Floods in Afghanistan (23 June 2024)

This Gender Alert has been developed by the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group (GiHA WG) together with GiHA WGs at sub national level in Western Region, Northeastern Region and Southern Region. The Gender Alert is based on analysis of the primary data collected through a Rapid Gender Need Assessment (RGNA) in Ghor and Kandahar by Women Community Volunteers (WCVs), Focus Group Discussions with affected communities in the Northeastern Region as well as updates, information and reports received from humanitarian actors on the ground.

“Suddenly, we heard a terrible sound and the house started shaking. Mud submerged the table, and the house went dark.”1 On 17 and 18 May, destructive rain falls in Ghor and Badghis provinces followed the devastating floods that have hit 21 districts of Badakhshan, Baghlan and Takhar in Northeastern Afghanistan since 10 May. In total, more than 59,100 people (8,668 families) have been affected by heavy rainfall across all regions (11,303 in Northern Region, 23,296 in Northeastern Region, 24064 in Western Region)2 . 225 people have been confirmed killed, a majority of them in Baghlan province3 . According to OCHA, more than 2800 homes have been destroyed and 4,069 damaged.

To contribute to the flood response, the GiHA WG in Western and Northeastern regions deployed teams in flood affected areas, in particular in Ghor and Baghlan, in an effort to support humanitarian actors by providing insights on the needs of affected women and girls and build evidence on the impact of the floods on women and girls, and men and boys. In Southern Region, an assessment took place with 974 women and men who had been affected by the floods in Kandahar province (in Arghandab, Dand, Daman, Kandahar city, Maiwand, Spin Boldak, Panjwai and Zarhai districts). In Ghor province, the Western Region GiHA WG conducted the Ghor Rapid Gender Needs Assessment across the affected districts of Firozkoh, Dowlatyar and Murghab districts, assessing 767 women affected by the floods, including 48 Women-Headed Households (6%),while GiHA WG in Northeastern region conducted FGDs with 32 women humanitarian workers and women community members in Baghlan (Flool Village)

While the regions most affected by the floods have been the Northeast and Western regions, Afghanistan has experienced floods across all its regions during the year 2024, with OCHA noting that almost 120,000 individuals have been affected by heavy rain falls and floods across 32 provinces throughout the year. In recognizing this, this alert also aims to shed light on challenges and share lessons from other flood affected regions in the country, in addition to direct data findings from most affected provinces.