Afghanistan Crisis: How USAID and Humanitarian Partners Never Stopped Working to Save Lives

The eyes of the world have been on Afghanistan since late August 2021, when the government of Afghanistan collapsed after an extensive and rapid military advance by the Taliban. Despite logistical and safety challenges on the ground, the U.S. government’s support for the Afghan people remains strong, and USAID’s partners in the country continue their tireless work providing lifesaving assistance.

The conflict in Afghanistan continues to have a devastating impact on women and children. The United Nations estimated that 468 children were killed and and more than 1,200 injured in the first half of 2021. Photo Credit: UNICEF

In mid-October, I joined a U.S. delegation to Doha, Qatar, for meetings with senior Taliban representatives. During these critical discussions, we talked about the importance of the United States’ robust humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and ensuring our partners can continue to deliver lifesaving aid.

Sarah Charles is the Assistant to the Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance

We emphasized the critical role women play in delivering assistance, especially to other women and girls, and urged the Taliban to ensure they are involved in all aspects of Afghan society. These discussions were candid, and we reiterated to the Taliban that they would be judged on their actions, not just their words.

Afghanistan and its people are close to my heart. I worked in Afghanistan in the early 2000s and have had the opportunity to return several times over the last two decades. I have seen firsthand the difference humanitarian assistance has made; I am honored to play a role in ensuring that all Afghans — especially women and girls — have access to the most basic of services.

What’s Happening in Afghanistan?

To call the situation in Afghanistan dire would be a vast understatement. Even before the Taliban took control, half of Afghanistan’s population was in need of humanitarian assistance and malnutrition was common among children.

The recent turmoil has only heightened humanitarian needs. Afghanistan’s health sector, one of the country’s few safeguards, is now on the brink of collapse. Women have been stripped of many of their rights, including — in many cases — the freedom to pursue an education, a livelihood, and even the simple act of being in public without fearing for their safety. COVID-19, recurrent floods, and drought have only deepened the country’s pain.

Since the beginning of the year, it’s estimated that 635,000 people have been displaced — double the number from 2020. Now, many are without shelter and with winter quickly approaching, their situation will only get worse.

Map of Afghanistan. Map Credit: Nina Feldman/USAID

How are USAID and our partners helping?

Despite the challenges and the dangerous conditions on the ground, all USAID humanitarian partners have continued operating in Afghanistan to deliver lifesaving assistance.

In September the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued licenses allowing for the continued flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and other activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan, despite U.S. sanctions on the country. In addition, USAID stood up a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) which is leading the U.S. government’s humanitarian response to the growing needs.

In 2021 alone, the U.S. government has provided nearly $474 million in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in the region.

But, the true heroes of this response are USAID’s brave partners, who have kept the humanitarian operations going on the ground. Here are some of the ways they are saving lives in close coordination with USAID:

Critical Food Assistance

In Afghanistan, food shortages are rampant, with half of all children under five facing malnutrition. Since the beginning of the year, USAID partner the UN World Food Program (WFP) has reached nearly 7 million people with critical food assistance, including reaching 1.4 million people in just the first week of October.

USAID partner World Food Programme is delivering critically needed food to vulnerable families in Afghanistan. Among those who have received aid are 350,000 pregnant/breastfeeding mothers and 722,000 young children suffering from or at risk of malnutrition. Photo Credits: WFP

Specialized Assistance for Women and Girls

As the conflict has increased, so have protection risks, which have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. USAID remains deeply concerned about Afghan women and girls, who will likely be disproportionately impacted. Working with partners, USAID is supporting survivors of gender-based violence.

Even before the deterioration of the humanitarian situation, over 4.2 million children — 60 percent girls — were already out of school, including many in hard-to-reach areas. Photo Credit: UNICEF

One way we do this is by providing care through mobile teams that can reach people, including women and girls, in hard to access areas. USAID is also tirelessly calling on the Taliban to allow female aid workers to do their work. Without female staff, safe and principled humanitarian programming is not possible, and women and girls will lose access to aid they need to survive and thrive.

Health Care

With the collapse of the health care sector along with the compounding effects of COVID-19 pandemic, USAID partners have been stepping up to provide primary care and other essential health services, train community health workers, provide vital supplies to health facilities, and deploy mobile medical teams to Afghans affected by conflict.

USAID partner IOM provides health services — including trauma care, mental health services, and reproductive, maternal & child care through Mobile Health Teams, Rapid Response Teams & at Transit Centers — to vulnerable Afghans in Herat, Kandahar, Nimroz & Ghor. Photo Credit: IOM

During the first half of September, USAID partner the UN World Health Organization (WHO) delivered more than 120 metric tons of health and medical supplies into Afghanistan by air — that’s enough to address the urgent health needs of more than 2 million people and support more than 15,000 surgeries.

Emergency Shelter

With such a large percentage of the population displaced from their homes, emergency shelter has become a critical concern, especially as winter approaches and children risk freezing to death without protection from the elements. USAID partner the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has pre-positioned shelter and relief supplies in 16 warehouses across the country to rapidly respond to Afghans affected by conflict and natural disasters.

While the situation in Afghanistan remains volatile, members of USAID’s DART are in daily contact with our partners on the ground because their safety and security is a top priority for USAID, as is ensuring aid continues to meet the most immediate needs of the people who need it most. We continue to stand by our partners and the people of Afghanistan.

USAID partner IOM has continued to work in Afghanistan despite new challenges. Photo Credit: IOM

About the Author

Sarah Charles is the Assistant to the Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the U.S. government lead for international disaster response. With a mandate to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the impact of disasters, BHA monitors, mitigates, and responds to global hazards and humanitarian needs.

Get more information on USAID’s humanitarian response in Afghanistan.

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