OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has recently announced that the risk of gender-based violence in Afghanistan remains high.
The agency published a report today (Saturday, April 18) covering the period from April 7 to April 17 of this year, which highlights the damages caused by recent rains and floods. It states that protection partners have provided psychosocial services and support related to gender-based violence to over 2,200 individuals.
The report notes: “While broader protection risks remain high, including the increased risk of gender-based violence, child labor, and psychological pressures that are estimated to have affected around 14,000 people.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs emphasized that humanitarian partners have expanded immediate relief efforts following the recent rains and floods that have impacted most regions of the country.
The report states: “Several hundred people have died or been injured, thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, critical infrastructure including hundreds of kilometers of important roads and several bridges has been destroyed, and vast areas of agricultural land have also been affected.”
OCHA further added that over 73,000 individuals have been affected and more than 31,000 people have been identified as needing urgent assistance.
The office mentions that various UN agencies have provided assistance to affected families.
Additionally, the World Food Programme has stated that the recent floods in Afghanistan have caused widespread damage to people’s homes and agricultural lands.
This comes at a time when most provinces in the country have witnessed extensive rainfall in recent weeks.
