Jump to a specific section of the profile:

Treaty Status | Management & Coordination | Impact (contamination & casualties) | Addressing the Impact (land release, risk education, victim assistance)

Country Summary

The demining program of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is the world’s largest and oldest. A Mine Action Centre for Afghanistan was established in 1989 by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). A Department of Mine Clearance was created in 1990 to coordinate the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan (MAPA).[1] In 2005, this became the Directorate of Mine Action Coordination (DMAC), a department of the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA).[2] The transition from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to national ownership by the DMAC in November 2016 was completed by May 2018.[3]

Afghanistan, party to both the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions, has seen its clearance obligations significantly increase due to ongoing conflict and contamination by improvised mines, which have also contributed to a sharp upturn in casualties in recent years.[4] Landmine contamination is currently estimated at 191km², although some contamination post-2001, termed “initial hazard areas,” still requires survey to determine the full extent. The cluster munition contamination comprises 5.8km² in two provinces, although DMAC has reported some evidence of additional cluster munition contamination which requires further investigation.[5]

Risk education in Afghanistan is conducted by a number of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). To a large extent, risk education is integrated with clearance and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) activities, although in 2019 UNMAS adopted a more targeted approach. Risk education is included within the school curriculum for grades 1–12 and is increasingly being integrated within the broader humanitarian sector.

Victim assistance needs in Afghanistan remain enormous. Continued conflict and insecurity have caused damage and disruption to public services and have negatively affected healthcare services. The resulting war trauma, physical injuries and mass displacement have increased the need for health services and medical care, far surpassing the capacity and resources of the services available through Afghanistan’s health system.[6] While there have been improvements in the geographic coverage of healthcare and physical rehabilitation, these remain insufficient to meet the needs.

Movement restrictions due to conflict, a lack of accessible roads, and the cost of transport, were persistent obstacles to victim assistance in some parts of the country. Afghanistan had no specific budget line for victim assistance and state funding was limited to the small amount of benefits provided to persons with disabilities registered as war victims.[7]

Treaty status

Treaty ratification overview

Clearance deadline extension requests

Afghanistan became a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty on 1 March 2003, with its Article 5 deadline set for 1 March 2013. Afghanistan requested a 10-year Article 5 deadline extension until 2023.[8] Afghanistan reported in 2020 that it will not be able to meet the 2023 deadline due to decreased levels of funding. In recent years, Afghanistan has only been able to secure about 50% of the required funding.[9] There is also new, extensive contamination by improvised mines since 2001, which has added to the total extent of clearance required. Afghanistan estimates that around 400km² of land contaminated by antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines, abandoned improvised mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) will remain uncleared by April 2023, requiring an extension of at least five years (until 2028) to clear the remaining areas.[10]

Afghanistan’s deadline for cluster munition clearance is 1 March 2022, but Afghanistan is uncertain whether it will be able to meet this deadline.[11] Cluster munition clearance has been hampered by funding constraints, competing priorities and insecurity, which has hindered access to some cluster munition-affected areas.[12] In 2020, Afghanistan reported that there was evidence of other contaminated areas that need assessment and survey.

Management and coordination

Mine action management and coordination

Mine action management and coordination overview[13]

In 2019, DMAC underwent a Portfolio, Programme and Project Management (P3M3) assessment conducted by ILX. Improvements were reported in stakeholder management, governance, resource management, benefits management, financial management and risk management. The assessment provided recommendations for further improvement, including changes to the structure of DMAC. DMAC is now working to implement the recommendations in consultation with donors.[14]

ITF Enhancing Human Security supports DMAC with Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA) training and program management skills development, and the NPA assists the PM/WRA in monitoring and evaluating clearance projects.[15]

Strategies and policies

Afghanistan’s five-year plan for 2016–2020 was adopted in January 2016 and set out four strategic goals: facilitate development; integrate mine action into other sectors including health, education and economy; reduce the impact of mines, ERW, and mitigate the impact of mine incidents; and mainstream gender and diversity.[16] The plan acknowledged that continued use of improvised mines could prevent Afghanistan meeting its Article 5 deadline.[17] DMAC plans to develop the next strategic plan during 2020–2021.[18] GICHD plans to support this process.[19]

DMAC also has a 10-year Mine Ban Treaty workplan for April 2013–March 2023, which provides a basis for operational planning, and an annual MAPA operational plan. The plan for April 2020–March 2021 was under review by mine action stakeholders as of April 2020.[20]

Legislation and standards

In September 2018, the regulation on the prohibition of production, importation, transportation, export, preservation, use and destruction of anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions was published as Annex 1 of the 2005 Law on Firearms, Ammunitions and Explosive Materials.[21]

An “Abandoned Improvised Mine (AIM) technical working group” was set up in November 2017 to draft terminology and a policy for tackling improvised mines.[22] In March 2019, Afghanistan became the first country to adopt a national standard for the clearance of improvised mines.[23]

Information management

IMSMA was introduced in Afghanistan in 2004, and the entire dataset was migrated from the original database system.[24] DMAC currently operates an IMSMA NG (Next Generation) Version 6 database but has started preparations for an upgrade to IMSMA Core.

In November 2019, DMAC began to employ the GICHD-developed data collection tool known as Mine Action Resources (MARS), for post-demining impact assessment.[25]

National and global goals

Afghanistan’s five-year plan, 2016–2020, included incorporating mine action into Afghanistan’s National Priority Programs and Sustainable Development Goals. The plan also aims to support the mainstreaming of mine action across other sectors including education, healthcare, agriculture and rural rehabilitation, social protection, governance, infrastructure, security and the private sector.[26]

In 2019, mine action was mainstreamed into a broader UN-led study, the Whole of Afghanistan Assessment, which identified inter-sectoral needs across all 34 provinces to guide humanitarian programming.[27]

Gender and diversity

The National Mine Action Strategic Plan also includes a commitment to mainstream gender across the mine action program as one of the four goals of the plan. This includes developing a gender and diversity policy; increasing the employment of women, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups; and to budget for gender-based activities.[28] The first all-women mine clearance team was established in 2018 and is supported by UNMAS.[29] MAPA also evaluates proposals for mine action based on their technical approach, budget and consideration of gender.[30]

Risk education management and coordination

Risk education management and coordination overview

Coordination

Risk education activities in Afghanistan are coordinated through DMAC, with its risk education department chairing the EORE-TWG. The EORE-TWG meets on an ad hoc basis when required and meets routinely once every two months. A mailing list is maintained by DMAC’s risk education department to ensure that urgent matters can be discussed and approved via email.[31]

The EORE-TWG reviews and approves risk education materials. The DMAC risk education department reviews all risk education project documents, monitors risk education activities and sets priorities. It also provides training and assesses the capacity of organizations to deliver both formal and informal risk education. DMAC also provides accreditation of organizations through its quality management department and risk education department.[32]

Strategies

Risk education is included within Afghanistan’s National Mine Action Strategy, with strategic goals and objectives set to a timeframe.

National Standards and guidelines

There is an Afghanistan Mine Action Standard for EORE that is maintained and updated by DMAC’s risk education department in coordination with the quality management department.

DMAC is responsible for accreditation for mine risk education, which is awarded to risk education operators and to each risk education activity or project.

Victim assistance management and coordination

Victim assistance management and coordination overview[33]

A National Authority for martyrs and persons with disabilities was formed as a government entity acting as a line ministry for the leadership, coordination, information management, and oversight of services provided to persons with disabilities and war victims. In October 2018, the National Authority became independent from the MoLSAMD, and subsequently was promoted to the higher position of State Ministry for Martyrs and Disabled Affairs through a presidential decree.[34]

In September 2019, the Acting Minister of Finance and Chief Advisor on Infrastructure to the president, met with the State Minister for Martyrs and Disabled Affairs regarding financing for reforms in the MMD as well as budgetary issues and the lack of resources. It was noted that a committee on reform measures should be established, consisting of the pension department of the Ministry of Finance, the population registration department, and the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Services Commission.[35]

Laws and policies

The Law on the Rights and Benefits of Persons with Disabilities, along with the Law on the Rights and Benefits for Relatives of Martyrs and Disappeared Persons, remained the two key legislative provisions. The Law on the Rights and Benefits of Persons with Disabilities was amended and is now with the Ministry of Justice for review.[36]

In 2019, the first draft Afghanistan National Disability Strategy was developed and is under review by a technical committee comprising of UNMAS, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), and the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief (ACBAR). The strategy is expected to be finalized by October 2020.[37] DMAC also supported the Ministry for Martyrs and Disabled Affairs in developing a policy for monitoring and evaluation.[38]

The Independent Commission for Administrative Reform and Civil Servants developed and passed a policy in 2019 for hiring people with disabilities, setting a target of 3% within government and ensuring accessibility for disabled persons within places of work.[39] On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, held on 3 December 2019, the president of Afghanistan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, stated support for this policy, along with ensuring accessibility as a consideration in all new construction projects, and making the year 1399 (2020) the Disability Support Year.[40]

An inter-ministerial concept was finalized and approved by the Council of Ministers, requiring all government entities to provide plans for victim and disability assistance. The MMD plans to develop an integrated action plan for 1399 (2020–2021).[41]

Impact

Contamination

Contamination (as of December 2019)[42]

Note: CHA=Confirmed Hazardous Area; SHA=Suspected Hazardous Area; ERW=Explosive Remnants of War; NTS=Non-Technical Survey.

* In April 2020, DMAC reported different figures: antipersonnel mine contamination was 171km² (CHA: 120km² and SHA: 51km²) and improvised mine contamination was 37km².

** The Article 7 report figures for 2019 are different, reporting 280km² antivehicle mine contamination and 114km² ERW contamination.

Mine Contamination

Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected by mines and ERW as a result of almost four decades of armed conflict, including the war of resistance following the Soviet invasion of 1979, internal armed conflicts between 1992 and 2001, and the United States (US)-led coalition intervention in 2001. Ongoing conflict between the government, the Taliban and other non-state armed groups (NSAGs) is continuing to add to the contamination, particularly by improvised mines, which have overtaken legacy mined areas as the biggest humanitarian threat.[43]

DMAC has had to reassess Afghanistan’s clearance obligations under Article 5 to take account of extensive contamination by improvised mines. DMAC reports that improvised mines are now being surveyed as suspected hazardous areas (SHA) or confirmed hazardous areas (CHA) and are included within the Article 5 workplan.[44]

As of 31 December 2019, landmine contamination totaled 191km², of which 1,885 areas were CHA totaling 136km²,while 213 areas were SHA totaling 55km².[45] Landmine contamination in Afghanistan has increased due to contamination since 2001, much of which has been recorded as Initial Hazardous Areas (IHA) until non-technical survey and technical survey is conducted to determine the full extent of contamination. This amounts to 299km².

Cluster munition contamination

DMAC reports that as of the end of December 2019, there were seven areas in two provinces with cluster munition contamination totaling 5.8km². However, DMAC noted that there is some evidence, generated through local requests, of additional cluster munition contamination which requires further investigation.[46]

The seven sites are affected by remnants of the 1,228 cluster munitions containing some 248,056 BLU-97B submunitions dropped by the US between October 2001 and early 2002.[47] Cluster munition remnants are said to affect around 7,000 people, and block access to grazing and agricultural land.[48] Soviet forces also used cluster munitions and demining operators continue to find unexploded submunitions on demining and battle area clearance tasks.[49]

ERW Contamination

DMAC recorded 147km² of CHA with ERW contamination as of the end of 2019. DMAC has also reported 630km² of contamination in relation to firing ranges.[50] Legacy ERW contamination dating back to before 2001 was previously reported to be 588km²,but the extent of contamination has continued to rise over recent years due to conflict between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and government military forces against NGAGs.[51]

Casualties

Casualties overview[52]

Casualties in 2019

Casualty total for 2019 for Afghanistan is based on Monitor analysis of mine/ERW casualty data provided by DMAC. Data collection in Afghanistan is affected by ongoing conflict.[53]

Most casualties in Afghanistan in 2019 were caused by improvised mines, followed by casualties caused by ERW. In 2019, there was an increase in the number of recorded adult casualties compared to 2018 (611 adult casualties), and a decrease in the number of child casualties (851). However, children still comprised the largest number of casualties (791 children compared to 747 adults). Men and boys, were by far the most affected, with a total of 1,302 casualties compared to 236 woman and girl casualties. As in previous years, the reporting of military casualties was especially challenging. After May 2017, the Afghan military stopped releasing casualty figures. In 2019, no military casualties were recorded due to a lack of adequate reporting; a significant change compared to the 642 military casualties recorded in 2018. This was due to a change in reporting, whereby it was not possible to distinguish military casualties of victim-activated mine explosions from those caused by command-detonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which are not included in Monitor data. In 2018, the Monitor recorded substancially more military and NSAG casualties than in previous years from other sources.[54]

Both DMAC (and previously, as MACCA) and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), have expressed concerns about civilian casualties from ERW associated with the closure of ISAF bases and high-explosive firing ranges. Many of the ranges were not sufficiently cleared of ERW prior to closure.[55]

UNAMA reported that most of the improvised mines in Afghanistan had the “trigger sensitivity of an anti-personnel mine.”[56] According to UNAMA’s reporting improvised mines constructed as pressure-plate IEDs (PP-IEDs) in Afghanistan “are detonated by any person, including children stepping on them or any vehicles, such as civilian vehicles or tractors driving over them.”[57] In June 2019, UNAMA stated that it “reiterates that victim-activated pressure-plate IEDs function like anti-personnel landmines, which are prohibited under the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines”[58] In 2020, UNAMA again stated that “[p]ressure-plate IEDs, which are victim-operated, have been documented to function as ‘improvised anti-personnel mines’ in Afghanistan.”[59]

For 2019, UNAMA reported 650 (275 killed and 375 injured) civilian PP-IED improvised mine type casualties.[60] UNAMA uses a strict and exacting methodology for verification of civilian casualties and acknowledges that this, together with limitations in the operating environment, creates the possibility of under-reporting. UNAMA describes its methodology and limitations on its data as follows: “For verification of each incident involving a civilian casualty, UNAMA requires at least three different and independent types of sources, i.e. victim, witness, medical practitioner, local authorities, confirmation by party to the conflict, community leader or other sources…Where UNAMA is not satisfied with information concerning an incident, it will not consider it as verified. Unverified incidents are not included in this report…UNAMA does not claim that the statistics presented in this report are complete and acknowledges possible under-reporting of civilian casualties given limitations inherent in the operating environment.”[61]

Cluster munition casualties

Since 1980, 756 casualties of cluster munition remnants have been recorded. In addition, at least 26 casualties during cluster munition strikes have been recorded.[62] DMAC/MACCA data includes 249 unexploded submunition casualties since 1981.[63] In 2019, five casualties resulted from unexploded submunitions, compared to one casualty in 2018. Previously, unexploded submunition casualties were reported in 2015, when four casualties were reported.

Addressing the impact

Mine Action

Operators and service providers

The table below lists national and international clearance operators in Aghanistan. There were also 22 commercial companies accredited in 2019.

Clearance operators

Clearance

Land release overview[64]

Note: ERW=Explosive Remnants of War; AIM=Abandoned Improvised Mines.

* Clearance figures include: antipersonnel mines, abandoned improvised mines, and antivehicle mines.

** The figures provided to the Monitor by DMAC for the 10-year period differ to the reporting of clearance in Afghanistan’s Article 7 reports. Clearance of cluster munitions was conducted in Afghanistan from 2017–2019. According to the Article 7 reports for this period, a total of 9.7km² was reported cleared and 731 submunitions were destroyed.

DMAC reported to the Monitor that Afghanistan would be unable to meet its 1 March 2023 Article 5 clearance deadline (landmines) due to:

• Funding having decreased since 2012, meaning only around 50% of planned clearance targets were reached;
• New contamination by improvised mines and ERW which requires further survey
• Continued insecurity which has prevented access to some of the contaminated areas in recent years;
• Lack of expertise, training, and equipment for responding to the AIM contamination problem; and
• Stand-down of clearance teams due to COVID-19.

DMAC has stated that Afghanistan will need an extension for another five years from April 2023 to March 2028. DMAC is planning to submit an extension request in early 2022.[65]

DMAC has stated that Afghanistan is uncertain whether it will meet its 1 March 2022 Article 4 deadline for clearance (cluster munition remnants) due to evidence of additional cluster munition contamination, which requires assessment and survey. Competing priorities also make it difficult for Afghanistan to address the contamination.

Land release: landmines

Afghanistan has conducted several surveys to better quantify the scale of mine contamination. A national survey project was conducted in 1993,[66] followed by a general survey process from 1994–2002. The Afghanistan Landmine Impact Survey (ALIS) was conducted from 2003–2004, and identified 2,571 affected communities and a total contaminated area of 716km², of which 445.6km² (62.3% of the total) contained antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines, or a mixture of the two.[67] However, the ALIS and all following re-survey efforts have been unable to cover the full extent of contamination nationwide due to ongoing conflict, insecurity and a lack of access to certain areas.[68] New contamination still has to be surveyed.

Planning and priority setting

The Afghanistan NMAS 03.03 on Mine Action Planning and Prioritization employs a hazard ranking system to help prioritize clearance. It assigns a rank of 1 to 6 for each hazard, with 1 designating the highest priority. The assessment of each hazard includes the contamination type, the proximity to communities, recent victims, blocking of vital infrastructure, agricultural land or residential areas, and security. Projects are then prioritized based on their impact level.[69]

Clearance

DMAC reports having cleared nearly 78.8% of all known “legacy” contamination left from pre-2001 conflicts. However, there remain 4,048 contaminated areas totaling 1,601km², including 982km² of post-2001 contamination and 619km² of contamination pre-2001. Included in the post-2001 contamination is 630km² of firing range areas, and 246km² of initial hazardous areas which needs to be fully surveyed.[70]

DMAC report that since 2013, improvements in land release procedures have led to a considerable decrease in the cost of clearance per square kilometer for almost all types of contamination.[71]

During 2019, Afghanistan cleared 28.01km² despite ongoing conflict. This is a reduction from the 30.04km² cleared in 2018.

The HALO Trust reported developing capacity in Helmand province to deal with AIMs in 2019.[72]

The Cabinet of the Afghanistan’s government approved a budget of AFN20 million (US$250,000) for a demining project to be implemented in Khost province, to clear 403,423m² in two districts. The budget was not delivered during 2019 but was expected to be provided in 2020.[73]

Border cooperation

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, allows Afghanistan to conduct mine action activities in Afghan border areas that are more easily accessible from Tajikistan. The Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (Fondation Suisse de Déminage, FSD) is conducting demining and risk education in Badakhshan province, accessing the area from Tajikistan.[74]

Land release: cluster munition remnants

Afghanistan reported to the Monitor that 2.72km² of cluster munition contaminated land was cleared in 2019, with 86 submunitions destroyed.[75]

Firing ranges

DMAC and the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) signed a Memorandum of Arrangement to clear the four firing ranges that were used by the NZDF in Afghanistan. The NZDF will provide the required funds for program management, demining, risk education and victim assistance, through competitive tendering to implementing partners with accreditation in Afghanistan. DMAC will work closely with NZDF to facilitate, coordinate and quality assure the work.[76]

Deminer safety

Security and ongoing conflict in Afghanistan have affected mine clearance operations, slowing and sometimes halting progress.[77] In 2019, no deminers were reported killed or injured, which compares to six deminers killed and 18 injured in 2018 as a result of security incidents.[78] However, security issues persist, including the theft of demining equipment and personal belongings; kidnapping; threats of fighting between Afghan security forces and NSAGs; emplacement of IEDs along routes demining staff use; and the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Risk Education

Operators and service providers

Risk education operators

Beneficiary numbers

Beneficiary numbers in 2019

In addition to the disaggregated figures on beneficiaries reported in the table, AAR-Japan reports providing risk education to approximately 60,000 people per year,[79] while UNICEF reported reaching 55,000 children in Afghanistan in 2019.[80]

Implementation

Risk education in Afghanistan is provided for both landmines and cluster munitions, and in both rural and urban areas. Operators reported providing risk education that included the threat of all explosive ordnance, including landmines, antivehicle mines, unexploded submunitions and other ERW. UNMAS has begun providing messages on improvised mines and booby-traps,[81] while HI has some specific messages in their risk education guidelines on small arms and light weapons.[82]

Target groups

To support the targeting of risk education, DMAC maintains a priority scoring matrix enabling it to prioritize the most affected populations in terms of their proximity to the hazards, the number of recent conflicts, incidences of armed conflict, and other factors.[83] Risk education operators reported that the IMSMA works well for helping to target and prioritize risk education efforts.

DMAC criteria for risk education targeting includes:

• Communities living in proximity to the hazards;
• Returnees and IDPs;
• Nomads;
• Scrap metal collectors;
• Travelers; and
• Aid workers; through the Landmine Safety Program that provides risk education briefings to enable them to conduct their work in contaminated areas.[84]

Children are reported to be most vulnerable to the threat. This is supported by the 2019 casualty figures, which show that children accounted for the majority of casualties (791 child casualties in 2019, compared to 747 adults). However, men and boys are the most affected. A Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey conducted by DDG in 2018 reported that adolescent boys tend to get injured or killed by ordnance during recreational activities and while tending to animals and livestock.[85] Girls are less likely to be injured or killed by mines and ERW than boys.

FSD, which works in the remote Panj valley in Afghanistan’s northeast, targets mainly farming communities and schools for risk education. The Pamir mountainous area was heavily mined and is contaminated with ERW, and has a high civilian casualty rate.[86]

Delivery methods

DMAC, in consultation with its technical working group and with support from its implementing partners and donors, has introduced child-focused risk education materials that have been piloted and are ready to be used in field operations. This is a significant step toward employing engaging content that will likely change the behavior of children and young adults.[87] Risk education is also included within the school curriculum for children in grades 1–12.

Although women and girls are usually at less risk than men and boys, risk education providers in Afghanistan reported it was often difficult to access women and girls for risk education. To address this, risk education is delivered through “couple” teams of one man and one woman as a way to reach at-risk populations. In 2019, there were a total of 59 couple teams and 16 non-couple teams delivering risk education.[88] The main means of delivery are direct face-to-face risk education and media outreach, particularly for vulnerable communities in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

Afghanistan has low electronic and digital media use, particularly of social media and apps. Face-to-face sessions and paper-based media are therefore seen to be the most effective means of reaching the target audience.[89] However, mobile cinema is also used to reach communities, particularly children and young adults, while community volunteers are used to sustain risk education efforts in hard-to-reach areas.

UNMAS supported the development of one-minute videos on the two most popular TV channels in Afghanistan, with one video aimed at adults and the other aimed specifically at men. The videos are aired in both national languages and are also available on Facebook, which is one of the more commonly used social media sites in the country.[90] UNMAS also supported the use of radio public service announcements in five provinces, providing messaging on what to do after a conflict; how parents can protect children; and messages aimed specifically at travelers.[91]

IDPs and returnees are targeted for risk education at UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM) encashment and transit centers, using video and direct presentation approaches. Many of the Afghan returnees are coming from Iran and Pakistan, and have limited knowledge of the dangers of explosive ordnance.

Specific groups such as travelers are targeted through the provision of risk education in bus stations. Bus drivers are targeted so that they can pass the message on to passengers. Drivers are also sensitized to the dangers of overtaking and using shortcuts.

Major developments in 2019

DDG conducted a nationwide Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice survey in 2018, which has informed the ongoing risk education program in 2019.[92] UNMAS reported a move to behavior change methodology and hired a behavior change communication company, MAGENTA Consulting, to research the different psychological, social and environmental factors to better inform risk education messaging strategies.[93]

DMAC reported that to enhance the reach of risk education, training was provided in 2019 to other humanitarian actors to enable them to provide informal risk education sessions through their field offices. Child protection actors were targeted through UNICEF’s ‘child protection in emergencies’ and ‘children on the move’ clusters.[94] UNICEF also initiated the development of school materials to educate children and their families about mine risk and prevention. The school booklets should be completed and distributed in 2020.[95]

As part of a 2019–2020 joint project with Action Against Hunger, The HALO Trust provided risk education in Helmand province to communities who were also receiving psychosocial and fertility healthcare. Through this partnership, The HALO Trust provided single sessions to some attendees, and for others spread the curriculum across four weekly sessions and then tested knowledge increase after the sessions. Initial findings were that knowledge increase levels were similar across both groups. The HALO Trust planned to conduct knowledge retention tests later in 2020.[96]

Victim Assistance

Victim assistance providers and activities

Major Developments in 2019

Following the end of the Afghan Civilian Assistance Program (phase three) in March 2018, the Conflict Mitigation Assistance for Civilians (COMAC) program was awarded to Blumont Global Development to provide up to $40 million in United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding over a five-year period. COMAC was designed to strengthen the capacity of line ministries, particularly the MMD (initially MoLSAMD), to address the grievances of civilian victims of conflict. COMAC provides comprehensive victim assistance to eligible civilians and Afghan families affected by conflict in all 34 provinces through the direct delivery of humanitarian relief and referral services, including urgent medical assistance, physical rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and economic inclusion including livelihoods support, in collaboration with the MMD, the MoPH, and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MoWA).[97] UNICEF collaborated closely with COMAC in 2019, providing immediate assistance to children injured by ERW.[98]

Needs assessment

The Afghanistan National Disability Database (ANDD), initiated in 2017, has faced fundamental challenges to meet the needs of the newly established MMD. It was reported that some progress was made in 2019 to clean the data and adapt the system for the MMD.[99] Based on the MMD database, 350,000 war-related victims were registered, of which some 34,000 are mine/ERW survivors and indirect victims.[100]

A project to undertake nationwide registration of persons with disability and the families of victims through a biometric system was not funded in 2019, although initial registration was reported to have taken place in Kabul and four other provinces.[101]

In 2019, the Asia Foundation carried out the Model Disability Survey of Afghanistan (MDSA), implemented with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO). The MDSA was the first broad national disability survey in Afghanistan since 2005. It gathered data on both the national prevalence and distribution of disabilities, and the wider context of health determinants and supporting environmental factors among persons with disabilities in Afghanistan.[102]

In 2018, HI conducted an updated situational analysis of the physical rehabilitation sector in Afghanistan using a WHO-standard tool. The main findings of the assessment on disability and physical rehabilitation were highlighted in the National Health Policy 2015–2020. [103]

The COVID-19 pandemic also measurably impacted victim assistance and services for people with disabilities. The Afghanistan Landmine Survivors Organization (ALSO) conducted a study which found that people with disabilities were disproportionately impacted by unemployment, food shortages, psychological problems, domestic violence and lack of access to health services including rehabilitation. Disability rights organizations faced challenges in implementation due to pandemic-related restrictions and reduced budgets, and reported a lack of coordination with government agencies in terms of ensuring the response to COVID-19 took into consideration people with disabilities.[104]

Medical care and rehabilitation

Healthcare is supported through two tiers of health services across the country, the Basic Package of Health Services (BPHS) and the Essential Package of Hospital Services (EPHS). The distance to rehabilitation services from populations in need, together with a lack of funding, often impedes access to services. The MoPH maintains a large-scale contracting arrangement with international and national NGOs to deliver BPHS and EPHS services, with the support of donors and monitors of health system performance. The System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition (SEHAT) project financed the delivery of BPHS and EPHS. Following the completion of the SEHAT project, the Sehatmandi project started on 1 July 2018, and will run for a period of around three years. The Sehatmandi project is supported by the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), managed by the World Bank (on behalf of 34 donors) and the International Development Association (IDA), as was the SEHAT project. The new project is also supported by the Global Financing Facility.[105]

Afghanistan reported that 90% of its population lives more than 100km from rehabilitation centers, while 20 of its 34 provinces have no prostheses provider.[106] Only 21 of its provinces have physical rehabilitation services within the BPHS and EPHS. The majority of services for people with disabilities are provided by international and national NGOs.[107] Physical rehabilitation services were almost entirely operated by international NGOs and the ICRC under the coordination of the government. The government had been preparing to take on responsibility for managing physical rehabilitation services, starting within the local healthcare services and providing for rehabilitation from the development budget. However, authorities have acknowledged it would be unrealistic to consider the government capable of ensuring the required rehabilitation services.[108]

Some 1,000 additional qualified physiotherapists are needed in the health sector for secondary and tertiary level healthcare. Half of all persons delivering physical therapy services in health facilities in Afghanistan do not have diploma-level training. The majority (70%) of professionals providing physiotherapy services are male, resulting in a lack of access for women.[109]

During 2019, a lack of funding continued to affect the provision of services. Only three Physical Rehabilitation Centers, in Kunar, Rarah and Paktya provinces were funded; while out of seven victim assistance projects intended to be implemented in 2019, only four were funded.[110] However, 160,000 people received rehabilitation assistance at one of seven ICRC-run rehabilitation centers, and/or had assistive devices made from an ICRC components factory.[111] The number of patients using HI’s Physical Rehabilitation Center in Kandahar has increased by 18% over the last five years, including a 10% increase in war victims.[112] HI provided services to 9,337 patients in 2019, including 215 survivors of armed conflict and mine/ERW victims. The USAID-funded COMAC program distributed immediate care packages to civilian conflict casualties.

Physical rehabilitation was included in UNOCHA’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Afghanistan for 2018–2021, for the first time.[113]

Socio-economic and psychosocial inclusion

Access to economic opportunities and vocational skills is restricted by various social and cultural barriers to persons with disabilities, especially women. Project areas remain under-served and there is no planning for youth and youth with disabilities to provide skill-learning initiatives and to increase livelihood opportunities.[114]

HI supported vocational training in Kandahar and Kabul, and 70 students (39% female, 61% male) were trained in tailoring, embroidery and mobile repair. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, HI established a mechanism to coach the beneficiaries of business development and income generation activities to work from home. Youth with disabilities were encouraged to enroll in vocational training.[115]

The HI Victim Assistance/Livelihood Project (April 2019–March 2020) supported skill-building and business support initiatives for people with disabilities. Multiple personalized support sessions were organized with students to understand their needs for adaptation and accessibility.[116]

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) developed guidelines to improve physical access to all of its infrastructure, buildings and services for persons with disabilities, including landmine survivors.[117]

Gender

Gender was taken into account through the fourth goal of the National Mine Action Strategic Plan. A Gender Associate was recruited in UNMAS/DMAC in March 2017 to coordinate gender issues, including in victim assistance and disability contexts.[118] SCA prioritized women and children as their major target groups, while its disability program, which includes mine survivors, stresses the inclusion of more women and children with disabilities.[119] HI has proposed investment in physical rehabilitation and psychosocial programming to reach women in rural areas.[120]

In June 2019, a meeting was held with DMAC and the Deputy Minister of the MoWA, to discuss the inclusion of disability issues into the policies and strategic documents of the ministry. Victim assistance and disability are included within MoWA’s five-year strategy, and two focal points have been appointed to ensure that disability issues are included in the MoWA’s work. DMAC’s victim assistance department will continue to work with the MoWA to support the inclusion of women with disabilities.[121]