UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has recently warned that prolonged drought could deprive countless families and children of clean water, their most basic need.
The organization stated in a post on its X account that, in cooperation with South Korea, it is constructing water supply systems in 20 areas of Ghor and Helmand provinces.
UNICEF has identified access to sustainable water supply systems for families and children as one of the key solutions to addressing this challenge.
The organization had previously warned that more than half of the water sources in key provinces have dried up, and 80 percent of Afghanistan’s population uses contaminated and unsafe water for drinking.
UNICEF also said that currently, only 5 percent of the required budget for providing access to safe and disaster-resilient water and sanitation systems in Afghanistan is available.
The UN Children’s Fund further warned that the impacts of climate change—such as drought, sudden floods, and earthquakes—are undermining the health, nutrition, and abilities of Afghan children.
UNICEF had earlier warned that by 2030, Kabul’s water resources will be completely depleted.
It is worth mentioning that most schoolchildren in Afghanistan do not have access to safe drinking water.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross Committee stated on World Water Day that 33 million people in Afghanistan lack access to safe drinking water.
Additionally, UNICEF added in a previous report that it provided safe drinking water in 25 districts of eastern Afghanistan in 2023 and 2024.
