Poverty in Afghanistan

As one of the least developed countries on earth, Afghanistan faces many challenges in attaining its targets for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These include significant poverty, food insecurity and health risks, and what was once called "the worst education system in the world". In recognition of its special situation, the target date for the MDGs in Afghanistan has been put back from 2015 to 2020.

Charikar High School (2003), Afghanistan © Beth Bolitho

Progress is under way in some areas of human development. Electronic media and traveling theatres are being used increasingly to deliver vital health and hygiene messages. School enrolment has increased from one to six million since 2001, though a combination of poorly qualified teachers, distance and security deter many children, especially girls and those in rural areas, from attending.

Likewise, the goal of promoting gender equality and women's empowerment has been an important focus of attention. Recent years have witnessed the creation of a new Ministry of Women's Affairs, a Constitution that promotes non-discrimination, and a legislative assembly with 25% of the seats set aside for women. An interim National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan was launched in spring 2006 to promote women's leadership and equality. Yet forced marriages, domestic violence and lack of social and political participation continue to hinder progress of women's issues.

children in Bamyan, Afghanistan © Beth Bolitho

A concentrated effort to reduce disparities across different social groups and a focus beyond the major cities - coupled with continued international donor commitment - will be critical to the success of meeting the country's development goals. Progress on the MDGs is being fed into the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) (also known as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper). The final ANDS was completed and approved by President Karzai in April 2008 and presented to the international community at the Paris donor conference in June.
Food Security in Afghanistan

After a good harvest in 2007 provided about 90% of the country's needs in its staple crop of wheat, there has been an alarming deterioration in food security in Afghanistan. Drought in the north combined with widespread poverty in rural areas has led to a significant shortfall for 2008. Imported wheat is expensive and difficult to obtain from Pakistan, the normal source for Afghanistan, so that the price of wheat has doubled in the space of 12 months. With average households now spending 75% of their income on food, there is real concern for the poorest families.

The UN issued an appeal for food-related aid in January 2008 to assist 2.6 million vulnerable people but has rapidly revised the number in need to 4.5 million, upping the appeal to $400 million in July. For a programme on this scale, the logistics of timely delivery of supplies to the beneficiaries will inevitably come under pressure.

Aid agencies such as Oxfam point to the tiny proportion of assistance directed towards agriculture and rural development, perhaps as little as $300 million out of a total of $15 billion since 2001. Reconstruction of the crumbling irrigation system, for example, would go a long way to restoring livelihoods and food security.
Health in Afghanistan

ACTED-UNHCR project, Shamali Plain © Beth Bolitho

Afghanistan is plagued with some of the worst health statistics on the planet, including low life expectancy, high maternal mortality and child mortality rates. Contributing to these statistics is exceptionally poor access to safe water and sanitation together with the ongoing presence of preventable diseases that lead to mortality, including tuberculosis, malaria and diarrhoeal illnesses.

However, concerted effort on the part of humanitarian aid organizations, UN agencies and the Afghan government has led to marked improvement in some of these areas. A recent evaluation showed a significant decrease in infant mortality, while roughly 80% of Afghans now have access to the basic package of primary health services. Emphasis on polio eradication campaigns, midwifery training, and establishing health care in remote areas contribute to slow gains being made in improving the health of Afghanistan's population.
The Economy in Afghanistan

Women & children, Afghanistan © Brandy Bauer

$15 billion has been spent on reconstruction in Afghanistan since 2001 and questions are increasingly asked as to whether there is sufficient return on the investment. In addition to concern over the failure to reduce corruption and violence, much criticism has arisen around the extent to which aid monies are mishandled and have had little effect in improving the country's development. There is no shortage of evidence of dysfunctional relationships between an impossible melting pot of donor governments, development agencies, military, private contractors and the Afghan authorities.

Afghan opium farmers © United Nations' Integrated Regional Information Network

Disagreement between US and EU officials over strategies for eradication of opium is one prominent example. The consequent proliferation of the illicit opium economy, mostly in areas beyond government control and the main source of funding of the Taliban, has led to charges that Afghanistan is disintegrating into a "narco-state". Latest figures from the UN estimate that Afghan opium generated $4 billion income in 2007, 93% of the world's supply and equivalent to over half of the official economy.

Nevertheless, the international community continues to pledge significant funding both for reconstruction and to cover most of the cost of Afghan public services. The 80 countries attending the latest Afghanistan donor conference held in Paris in June 2008 pledged approximately $22 billion over the next five years – a significant shortfall from the $50 billion requested by the Afghan government to implement the ANDS.

Further strain on the economy stems from the large numbers of Afghan refugees returning from neighbouring Pakistan and Iran; since 2002 voluntary repatriation has seen 5 million return from these two countries alone with a further 3 million registered refugees encouraged to do likewise. As these returnees settle in Afghanistan's major cities, they place added burdens on already saturated labour markets and housing and public services. Threats by both Iran and Pakistan to expel unregistered Afghans during 2008 may unsettle the task of reintegration.



The OneWorld Afghanistan Guide was first published in August 2005 with a text written by Volunteer Editor Brandy Bauer

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