Sima Bahous: Afghan Girls Must Be Allowed Back in School

Stéphane Dujarric added that UNICEF has provided education access to more than 440,000 children in Afghanistan, 64 percent of whom are girls.

Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, has condemned the continued ban on education for girls above grade six in Afghanistan, calling it a violation of their right to education.

Bahous stressed that girls in Afghanistan must return to school and access their right to education.

She stated: “As a new school year begins in Afghanistan, the doors remain shut to thousands of girls—for the third year in a row. This violation of their right to education will haunt generations. Girls must return to school. Their fundamental rights must be restored—without delay.”

Beshta, a student, told TOLOnews: “Afghanistan’s progress depends on the education and advancement of both male and female populations—that means girls and boys. My request to the Islamic government is to reopen schools and universities for girls as soon as possible so we can build a cultured and advanced country.”

Meanwhile, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said in a press briefing that by 2030, over four million girls will be deprived of education in Afghanistan. According to him, Afghanistan cannot afford to leave half of its population behind under these restrictions.

He added that UNICEF has provided education access to more than 440,000 children in Afghanistan, 64 percent of whom are girls.

“UNICEF said Afghanistan cannot leave half of its population behind.  Despite the ban, UNICEF has provided access to education to some 445,000 children through community-based learning, 64 percent of whom are girls.  It is also empowering female teachers to ensure that girls have positive role models,” Dujarric said.

Salim Paigir, a political analyst, said: “We are still waiting for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to create opportunities for Afghan girls to receive both primary and higher education.”

So far, the Islamic Emirate has not responded to the reactions surrounding the new academic year and the continued education ban on girls.

Sima Bahous: Afghan Girls Must Be Allowed Back in School
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NRC Suspends Part of Its Operations in Afghanistan Due to Funding Cuts

Aid reductions—especially from donor countries like the United States—have created serious challenges for many humanitarian agencies.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) announced that, due to severe funding cuts, it has been forced to suspend part of its operations in Afghanistan and close several of its offices.

The organization said that the large-scale reduction in international aid is diminishing the presence of humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan, placing millions of lives in an increasingly dangerous situation.

“Like many humanitarian organisations, NRC Afghanistan has been forced to close offices in several provinces and lay off many dedicated and professional humanitarian staff, with a particularly adverse impact on female aid workers. These funding cuts have far-reaching consequences. They extend from communities that have lost access to basic assistance to thousands of experienced Afghan staff that have lost their livelihoods,” said Suze van Meegen, NRC’s interim country director in Afghanistan.

Aid reductions—especially from donor countries like the United States—have created serious challenges for many humanitarian agencies.

Economic experts also view the reduction in aid operations as harmful to Afghan citizens, particularly under current conditions. They stress that global support, especially from the United States, should continue in the humanitarian and development sectors.

Shamsur Rahman Ahmadzai, an economic analyst, said: “If the US announces a halt to its aid to Afghanistan, these rules and principles should apply globally. Assistance must continue in times of crisis, not just in Afghanistan but everywhere.”

Qutbuddin Yaqubi, another economic expert, said: “The suspension of aid from institutions working in Afghanistan, especially the Norwegian Refugee Council, could unfortunately have a negative impact—particularly now when the country is grappling with migration, economic challenges, and poverty.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy confirmed that the suspension of US aid has financially strained many aid agencies, which in turn has negatively affected citizens’ living conditions.

Abdul Rahman Habib, spokesperson for the Ministry of Economy, told TOLOnews: “The suspension of U.S. aid has created financial problems for a number of aid organizations. Humanitarian assistance during emergencies is meant to support those in need and must include food and hygiene provisions for disaster-affected individuals.”

Earlier, the Center for Global Development reported that 35% of all foreign aid to Afghanistan had been provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the suspension of that aid could result in a 7% drop in Afghanistan’s economic growth.

NRC Suspends Part of Its Operations in Afghanistan Due to Funding Cuts
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Pakistan Urges Sustained Dialogue with the Islamic Emirate

Mohammad Sadiq has said that he agreed with Islamic Emirate officials to increase high-level dialogue to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Following the three-day visit of Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq to Kabul, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has emphasized the importance of sustained dialogue with Afghanistan’s caretaker government.

In a meeting organized by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review Afghanistan–Pakistan relations, Ishaq Dar said that strengthening bilateral relations with Afghanistan is essential to address Pakistan’s concerns.

“DPM emphasized the importance of sustained dialogue with the interim Afghan government to address Pakistan’s concerns and promote bilateral relations. Foreign Secretary and other senior officials of the Foreign Ministry also attended the meeting,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry said.

Zakiullah Mohammadi, a political analyst, said: “I believe the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly agreed to negotiations, but has been rejected by Pakistan. When talks fail, it ultimately leads to tension and conflict — and history shows that war harms both countries.”

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, has said that during his visit to Kabul he agreed with Islamic Emirate officials to increase high-level dialogue to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan wrote: “The Special Representative reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continued engagement and mutually beneficial ties with Afghanistan, and underscored the importance of addressing all issues of concern, particularly security, to further consolidate bilateral ties.”

Moeen Gul Samkani, another political analyst, said: “Ishaq Dar’s statement about wanting high-level relations with Afghanistan is a positive and welcome stance. We should jointly pursue both political and economic issues.”

Pakistan’s call for greater high-level engagement with Afghanistan comes amid ongoing tensions — including repeated claims by Pakistan that Afghan soil is being used against it, the closure of the Torkham crossing, and Pakistani airstrikes in parts of Paktika province — all of which have cast a shadow over Kabul-Islamabad relations.

Pakistan Urges Sustained Dialogue with the Islamic Emirate
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WHO: Tuberculosis Increased by 3.3% in Afghanistan in 2024

Deputy minister for health services, called on international organizations to assist Afghanistan’s health sector in the fight against TB.

March 24 marks World Tuberculosis Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan has reported a 3.3% increase in tuberculosis cases in 2024 compared to 2023.

Edwin Ceniza Salvador, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in Afghanistan, assured cooperation with the health sector, particularly in the fight against tuberculosis.

He stated: “In 2024, a total of 51,300 cases of TB were reported in Afghanistan, representing a 3.3% increase from the 49,000 cases reported in 2023.What this highlights is that there are ongoing challenges in TB for us in the country and it continues to grapple with the high incidence and mortality rates.”

Stephen Rodriques, representative of the UNDP in Afghanistan, said: “Since 2024 February of last year, we have screened over 335,000 Afghans who have returned from Iran and Pakistan, and this approach prevents treatment disruptions and strengthens patient support.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health shared updated data during a ceremony on World Tuberculosis Day (Monday), stating that more than 51,000 TB cases were recorded in the country last year.

Abdulwali Haqqani, deputy minister for health services, called on international organizations to assist Afghanistan’s health sector in the fight against TB.

He said: “51,319 cases were identified and treated. Intensive efforts are needed for the detection and treatment of tuberculosis.”

Ali Mohammad Amin, head of the national TB program, stated that due to reduced funding from international donors, the program is unable to implement its services in accordance with its strategic plan.

According to WHO statistics, in 2023 nearly 10.8 million people worldwide were infected with tuberculosis. Of these, 6 million were men, 3.6 million were women, and 1.3 million were children.

This year’s World TB Day was observed under the theme: “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver, is a bold call for hope, urgency, and accountability.”

WHO: Tuberculosis Increased by 3.3% in Afghanistan in 2024
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EU: Education is key to Afghanistan’s prosperity and resilience

By Fidel Rahmati
Khaama Press

In response to the ongoing ban on girls’ education in the country, the European Union has emphasized the importance of education for all segments of society, stating that it is the key to the resilience and long-term prosperity of the nation.

As the new academic year begins, the European Union’s mission in Afghanistan has reiterated that educational equality is essential for the country’s sustainable development. The EU has expressed its support for the right to education for Afghan girls, emphasizing that educated women play a crucial role in building a powerful, stable, and self-sufficient Afghanistan.

Simultaneously, as the new academic year began on March 21, the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education entered its fourth year. During the school reopening ceremony in Kabul, there was no mention of reopening girls’ schools. This ongoing restriction continues to hinder Afghan girls’ access to education.

Since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, one of their first actions was to impose a ban on education for girls beyond the 6th grade. This decision effectively blocked access to secondary education for millions of Afghan girls, leaving them without the opportunity to continue their studies. The ban sparked widespread protests from both within Afghanistan and across the international community, as it not only violated the rights of young girls but also undermined Afghanistan’s long-term development prospects.

In addition to the restrictions on secondary education, the Taliban has also closed universities and recently medical institutions to female students. Recent reports indicate that female students have been barred from attending university classes, with many women in medical fields being unable to continue their education or pursue careers in healthcare. This exclusion from higher education has significant consequences for Afghanistan’s future, as it stifles the potential of half of the population, hindering both social and economic progress.

Earlier, UNESCO reported that the Taliban’s restrictive policies have blocked access to education for 1.5 million Afghan girls. The organization expressed deep concern, warning that if these limitations persist, over 4 million girls could be deprived of education by 2030.

Several international organizations have condemned the continued ban on girls’ education, urging the Taliban to reopen schools and universities to women and girls. Human Rights Watch and the UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan both called for accountability from the Taliban for their actions.

Amnesty International has also urged the Taliban to end their discriminatory programs against Afghan women and girls. However, the Taliban dismisses global criticism, considering girls’ education a “domestic issue” and claiming to uphold women’s rights under their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

The Taliban’s persistent refusal to allow girls’ education has drawn widespread international condemnation. The EU and various global organizations continue to advocate for Afghan girls’ right to education, stressing its critical role in the nation’s future prosperity. The ongoing situation highlights a significant challenge for Afghanistan’s development and international relations.

EU: Education is key to Afghanistan’s prosperity and resilience
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Araghchi: Current Power in Afghanistan Has Established Its Rule

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has welcomed Araghchi’s remarks regarding the establishment of security in Afghanistan.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, said in an interview with an Iranian news agency that governance and security are currently established in Afghanistan, and the situation has changed compared to the past.

In this interview, Araghchi stressed that the on-the-ground reality is that a political power has settled in Afghanistan over the past three and a half years and has established its rule.

The Iranian foreign minister said: “The reality is that now in Afghanistan, a power is in charge that over the past three and a half years has consolidated its authority. Unlike the past, when each corner of Afghanistan was controlled by different groups, it is no longer the case. Security is established, and we must address and resolve these issues in line with our national interests.”

This senior Iranian official mentioned the issues of narcotics, the presence of Afghan migrants in Iran, border security, and the water rights issue as key topics in Iran’s relations with the Islamic Emirate.

Araghchi said: “There is the issue of drugs, the issue of Afghan migrants, which has become a sensitive topic within our country, and people say something must be done about it. There is also the security of our borders; we have around a thousand kilometers of shared border, and the security of every meter of it is important to us.”

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has welcomed Araghchi’s remarks regarding the establishment of security in Afghanistan.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said that the Iranian foreign minister’s statements reflect a deep understanding of the current realities in Afghanistan.

The deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate added: “This, in essence, means a correct understanding of the current realities in Afghanistan. The reality is that there is a unified political authority in Afghanistan that holds comprehensive control over the entire territory.”

“The more the relations and exchanges between Afghanistan and Iran increase, the easier it becomes to address challenges and find appropriate solutions to the concerns of both sides,” said Janat Faheem Chakari, a political analyst.

Although the interim government has had good economic and political relations with Iran over the past three years, the expulsion of Afghan migrants from Iran, the water rights issue, and Iran’s concerns about border security and drug trafficking have affected relations between Kabul and Tehran.

Araghchi: Current Power in Afghanistan Has Established Its Rule
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Pakistan Is Trying to Integrate the ‘Most Dangerous Place’ on Earth. It’s Failing.

The country’s former tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are plagued by escalating militancy, leading to widespread disillusionment.

The rugged borderlands of northwestern Pakistan have long had a reputation for lawlessness and militancy, labeled by President Barack Obama as “the most dangerous place in the world.”

The Pakistani government, facing global scrutiny over the presence of groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Taliban, moved in 2018 to overhaul the semiautonomous region’s outdated governance. It merged what had been known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas into the country’s mainstream political and legal framework, vowing economic progress and a reduction in violence.

Today, the effort is seen by many in the region as a failure.

renewed wave of terrorism, especially after the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, has undone much of the progress toward stability. Attacks have risen sharply in Pakistan, with more than 1,000 deaths across the country last year, up from 250 in 2019, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace, an international think tank. The group ranks Pakistan as one of the countries most affected by terrorism, second only to Burkina Faso in Africa.

The region’s troubles can be traced back to harsh colonial-era laws that were in force for more than a century and were meant to control the population, not serve it. The tribal areas’ ambiguous legal status and proximity to Afghanistan also made them a geopolitical pawn.

 

Tribal elders and Islamist parties are now going so far as to advocate for the merger to be reversed. That is also a primary goal of one of the biggest sources of insecurity in the region: the Pakistani Taliban, who have waged a relentless assault on security forces in a campaign aimed at overthrowing the government and establishing an Islamic caliphate.

Pakistan’s leaders “promised development, peace, jobs and a fair justice system — everything we have been denied for decades,” said Noor Islam Safi, an activist from Mohmand, one of seven districts of the British-era tribal areas.

“The promises were empty,” he said during a protest in Mohmand that he led in mid-January. “All we’ve been given is neglect, rising violence and a growing sense of hopelessness.”

The former tribal region, which covers about 10,000 square miles — less than 5 percent of Pakistan’s landmass — and is home to more than five million people, has long been a stark emblem of terrorism, repression and neglect.

In 1901, the British imposed the harsh frontier laws to suppress resistance and buffer against Russian expansion. Pakistan inherited these regulations at its birth in 1947.

The region’s people were denied basic rights and excluded from national governance; they were not given the right to vote in Pakistani elections until 1997. Residents lived under the constant threat of arbitrary arrest and the absence of fair trials. Collective punishment was common. Entire communities suffered for the actions of one individual, facing imprisonment, fines, property destruction and exile.

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 turned the region into a staging ground for Islamic fighters backed by the United States, Arab nations and Pakistan who were battling Moscow’s forces.

After the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the region descended into lawlessness, becoming a hub for fugitives, criminal networks, smugglers of arms and drugs, and kidnappers demanding ransom.

The region became a militant stronghold after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Pentagon, as U.S. military operations in Afghanistan pushed Taliban and Qaeda militants into the tribal areas.

Groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the T.T.P. or Pakistani Taliban, moved to establish control. Such groups offered rudimentary governance while intimidating and killing tribal elders who resisted their rule.

Over time, the T.T.P. expanded its terrorist network beyond the borderlands, carrying out attacks across Pakistan, including in major cities like Karachi, and even internationally, notably in New York, with the attempted Times Square bombing in 2010.

But gaps in the integration process, analysts and political leaders say, left the region vulnerable when the Taliban returned to power. The Taliban’s resurgence gave the T.T.P. sanctuaries across the border in Afghanistan and access to advanced, American-made weapons that had been seized after the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government.

This allowed the Pakistani Taliban to escalate attacks in the former tribal areas. Since mid-2021, a majority of the surging terrorist attacks in Pakistan have occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a significant concentration in the seven former tribal districts, most notably North Waziristan and South Waziristan.

The T.T.P. killed 16 Pakistani soldiers in South Waziristan in December, and Pakistan responded with an airstrike inside Afghanistan, heightening tensions with Taliban rulers in Kabul.

Farther north along the Afghan border, in Bajaur district, 34 attacks were recorded in 2024, primarily carried out by the Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, the local branch of the Islamic State, which poses global security risks.

In other districts, the T.T.P. and local allied groups exert control, extorting money from traders.

The new legal frameworks in the former tribal areas remain largely unenforced because of inadequate administrative capacity and insufficient numbers of formal police officers. While the region was promised $563 million in annual development funding, Pakistan’s economic struggles have caused shortfalls. Many essential services are still underdeveloped or dysfunctional.

“An abrupt merger, rather than a gradual and thorough process, failed to replace a governance system that had operated for over a century,” said Naveed Ahmad Shinwari, a development expert with extensive experience in the region.

As part of the Trump administration’s gutting of global aid, major initiatives in former tribal areas, including land settlement regulation and infrastructure improvements, have been disrupted.

The region’s merger initially garnered widespread support among residents eager for equal citizenship, but significant resistance has emerged to the changes that followed. Replacing outdated tribal policing and jirgas, or councils of tribal elders, has prompted deep concerns about the impact on a centuries-old way of life.

“Our jirgas used to resolve cases in months, sometimes days, but Pakistan’s overburdened judiciary takes years,” said Shiraz Ahmed, a resident of a remote village who traveled 60 miles for a land dispute hearing.

While some groups in the former tribal areas are calling for the merger to be reversed, analysts said that doing so could essentially hand the region over to militant groups.

A version of this article appears in print on March 23, 2025
Pakistan Is Trying to Integrate the ‘Most Dangerous Place’ on Earth. It’s Failing.
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Fears for British couple in 70s held by Taliban as court appearance delayed

Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who run a training business in Afghanistan, were detained last month when they travelled to their home in Bamiyan province. The couple, aged 79 and 75, who have been running projects in schools in Afghanistan for 18 years, had not been informed of the charges, their daughter said.

Sarah Entwistle said her parents had been taken to court separately and had been unable to see each other before their case was delayed.

“Mum’s health is rapidly deteriorating, and she is collapsing due to malnutrition. She and the other women are provided only one meal a day, while the men receive three,” Entwistle said. “Dad’s health is also still declining, and he’s experiencing tremors in his head and left arm.”

The family has previously said that, without access to the medication he needs, Peter’s continued detention poses a serious risk to his life.

One of the couple’s projects involved educational training for mothers and children in Bamiyan, one of the largest cities in central Afghanistan. There is a ban on women working and on female education beyond primary school, but the Reynolds’ work had apparently been approved by the Bamiyan local authority.

Despite being told that the court appearance would result in a final decision, the couple “spent four hours sitting on the floor, chained to other prisoners, before being returned to the prison”, Entwistle said.

“At the last minute, they were informed that they would not be seen by the judge. The guards indicated that a different judge would now be handling the case, and we continue to hope they will receive a fair hearing in the coming week.”

Entwistle said her mother had required support to climb the four flights of stairs to the room where the judge was located.

“There are still no charges against them, and no evidence of any crime has been submitted. We are, of course, devastated by this delay. It makes little sense, especially given that the Taliban have repeatedly stated that this situation is due to misunderstandings, and that they will be released ‘soon’.”

The couple were arrested on 1 February with their interpreter, Juya, and a American-Chinese friend, Faye Hall, who had rented a plane to travel with them. At the time an employee for Rebuild, the couple’s training company, was informed that their flight “did not coordinate with the local government”.

Fears for British couple in 70s held by Taliban as court appearance delayed
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US lifts $10m reward for major Taliban leader Haqqani

Al Jazeera
Published On 22 Mar 2025

The United States has lifted a $10m reward for information leading to the arrest of a major Taliban leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, an Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs spokesperson says.

Despite the announcement on Saturday, the FBI still lists the reward on its website, saying Haqqani was “believed to have coordinated and participated in cross-border attacks against United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan”.

The move comes after the Taliban on Thursday released a US citizen who had been kept in captivity for two years.

The release of George Glezmann, who was abducted while travelling as a tourist in Afghanistan in December 2022, marks the third time a US detainee has been freed by the Taliban since January.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Glezmann’s release represented a “positive and constructive step”. He also thanked Qatar for its “instrumental” role in securing the release.

The Taliban has previously described the release of US detainees as part of its global “normalisation” effort.

The group remains an international pariah since its lightning takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. No country has officially recognised the Taliban government although several countries continue to operate diplomatic facilities in the country.

The Taliban takeover came as former US President Joe Biden’s administration oversaw a withdrawal outlined by the first administration of President Donald Trump.

The US president had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020 to end the war in Afghanistan, and he agreed to a 14-month deadline to withdraw US troops and allied forces.

The agreement was contentious for leaving out the Western-backed Afghan government, which was toppled during the chaotic US exit from the country in 2021.

Haqqani, the son of a famed commander from the war against the Soviets, was head of the powerful Haqqani Network, a US-designated “terror group” long viewed as one of the most dangerous armed groups in Afghanistan.

It is infamous for its use of suicide bombers and is believed to have orchestrated some of the most high-profile attacks in Kabul over the years.

The network is also accused of assassinating top Afghan officials and holding kidnapped Western citizens for ransom, including US soldier Bowe Bergdahl, released in 2014.

Haqqani had continued to be on the US radar even after the Taliban takeover. In 2022, a US drone strike in Kabul killed then-al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. The house in which al-Zawahiri was killed was a home for Haqqani, according to US officials.

US lifts $10m reward for major Taliban leader Haqqani
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UNICEF provides clean drinking water to 688,000 people in Afghanistan in 2024

Khaama Press

In 2024, UNICEF provided clean drinking water to 688,000 people across Afghanistan, improving access in schools, hospitals, and homes.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that in 2024, it has provide access to clean drinking water for 688,000 people in Afghanistan. This initiative is part of their ongoing efforts to improve the living conditions of children and families in the country.

On Sunday, March 23, in a message marking World Water Day, UNICEF added that clean water has been provided in schools, hospitals, and homes. This is part of their continued efforts to ensure access to safe water for vulnerable populations, particularly children.

UNICEF emphasizes that every child deserves access to clean drinking water and highlights the importance of maintaining their health and well-being. Clean water is essential for children’s growth, development, and overall health, and this initiative is aimed at securing a better future for them.

In contrast, the International Red Cross Committee noted on World Water Day that 33 million people in Afghanistan still lack access to clean drinking water, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by the country in this regard.

Earlier, UNICEF reported that in 2023 and 2024, it had provided clean drinking water to 25 districts in the eastern provinces of Afghanistan. This is part of their broader mission to improve access to clean water in areas that are most in need, especially in rural and underserved regions.

This initiative from UNICEF is a significant step towards addressing the critical water crisis in Afghanistan, where millions still lack access to basic services. With ongoing support from international organizations, efforts to improve water access can lead to better health outcomes and a stronger foundation for development in Afghanistan.

UNICEF provides clean drinking water to 688,000 people in Afghanistan in 2024
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