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UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific (RBAP): External Update: Afghanistan Situation #20, As of 01 September 2022

Pays
Afghanistan
+ 5
Sources
UNHCR
Date de publication
Origine
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HIGHLIGHTS

  • UNHCR flood response. Since mid-June, over 30 million people in Pakistan have been affected by unprecedented rains and devastating floods across the country, leaving 6.4 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 1,300 fatalities have been reported, over 950,000 houses either damaged or fully wrecked and 2 million acres of crops destroyed. Some 80 districts have been officially declared ‘calamity hit’ by authorities. Further rainfall is expected to continue and threatens to exacerbate an already dire situation for at-risk populations who are among the most vulnerable to climate change.

  • As part of UN-system wide efforts in Pakistan, UNHCR is supporting the government-led responseto scale up humanitarian assistance to refugee and host communities affected by the monsoon rains. 1.2 million lifesaving supplies for 50,000 households have been mobilized by UNHCR, with much of this already delivered for distribution. The supplies have been mobilized through existing countries, a series of airlifts from Dubai, and trucks from Termez, Uzbekistan. Since the beginning of the floods, UNHCR – as the protection sector lead – has been coordinating with other partners to mainstream protection in the humanitarian response. UNHCR is also engaged in the inter-sectoral coordination of the shelter, WASH, education, health, food and nutrition, and livelihoods response. The immediate priority is to provide assistance to the worst flood-hit areas with relief items to address urgent needs.

  • Several provinces across the eastern, central, southern and western regions in Afghanistan have also been hit by heavy rains. This follows the devastating earthquake in June that hit Paktika and Khost provinces in the southeast. In response to both disasters, UNHCR has been supporting affected communities with emergency assistance. More is planned in the coming weeks, though access has remained challenging in the areas hit by rains. UNHCR has also continued to support some of the worst earthquake-affected households in 35 villages, particularly in refugee-hosting regions. Work is ongoing to complete 2,300 earthquake-resilient winterized houses including stoves, solar panels and latrines.

  • UNHCR’s humanitarian response in Afghanistan. The broader humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains challenging across the country, with more than half of the population remaining dependent on assistance. This includes may displaced people, who often live-in makeshift settlements under difficult conditions. In response to the humanitarian situation, UNHCR and partners have reached nearly three million Afghans in nearly all provinces with essential relief and assistance since the beginning of the year. As part of this effort, some 2.5 million individuals have also benefited from health centres, schools, water systems and other infrastructure that UNHCR has supported in areas prioritised for the return of refugees and IDPs. The Priority Areas of Return and Reintegration (PARRs) are now in 80 locations in Afghanistan, which includes 5 cities and 75 districts, covering over 12,000 villages.

  • For UNHCR’s assistance and relief programmes, this assistance in 2022 has included the following, as of the end of August:

    Emergency Assistance provided in 2022

    • 2.9 million total persons supported
    • 31 out of 34 provinces reached
    • 439,600 persons assisted with cash assistance
    • 243,700 persons beneffited from in-kind and other individual assistance
    • 2.2 million persons benefitted from community based interventions
    • 881,100 individuals assessed
    • 2.6 million persons potentially benefitting from activities in 55 PARRs
  • Support to IDP returnees. A priority for UNHCR’s work in Afghanistan remains the sustainable return and reintegration of displaced Afghans to their places of origin. At least 162,400 IDP returnees havebeen identified by UNHCR in 2022, and the 2021 IDP returnee figure has recently increased to at least 948,400individuals, bringing the total number of IDP returnees identified by UNHCR since 2021 to more than 1.1million. These figures are expected to increase with assessments ongoing. The data is from household-level rapid assessments conducted by UNHCR and partners undertaken in all 34 provinces. In support of returnees, UNHCR has provided cash assistance for reintegration of some 192,000 returning IDPs since the start of the year, while nearly 31,000 people have received cash and vouchers for the start-up of businesses.