Mens de internationale styrker er på vej ud, er der udsigt til større humanitære udfordringer og (endnu mere) besværlige vilkår at arbejde under for hjælpeorganisationerne i Danidas kommende førende samarbejdsland for udviklingshjælp.
DUBAI, 2 January 2013 (IRIN): “The worsening conflict trends over the last five years indicate that civilians will continue to suffer because of armed violence and that the humanitarian situation will deteriorate (blive forværret),” says the new Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) for 2013, published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The report brings together the major humanitarian challenges facing the country in 2013, a year that will see the continued withdrawal of international forces: Afghan security forces will take control of three-quarters of the country by June.
Afghanistan has some of the worst humanitarian indicators in the world – 34 percent of the population are food insecure and 10 percent of children die before they start primary school.
With many Afghans lacking access to rudimentary (spredte) government services like basic education, water, primary health services and housing, the humanitarian community is requesting 471 million USdollar to cover the cost of projects in 2013.
Many analysts think the steady withdrawal of international forces in 2013, ahead of full withdrawal in 2014, will lead to an upsurge in violence as anti-government forces capitalize on their stronger position vis-à-vis national security forces.
The strength of these national forces is disputed.
Some analysts saw “significant improvements within the Afghan military” in 2012, while the CHAP points to high levels of desertion and low levels of re-enlistment, meaning that a third of the Afghan force needs replacing each year.
Civilian deaths and injuries declined by 4 percent in the first 10 months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, according to the UN Assistant Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA).
But targeted attacks on civilians by anti-government forces increased by 53 percent in the first half of 2012, and overall, violence in 2012 has spread increasingly beyond southern and eastern areas.
Lesser space for humanitarian work
Over the last few years the space (råderum) for humanitarian work has reduced, especially as anti-government forces have radicalized and fragmented: aid workers say air transport is frequently the only safe way to reach remote areas.
However, the international pullout may also provide opportunities for more independent aid work and greater differentiation from the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), which operate closely with the government and military.
Aid groups increasingly have to work in areas where the Taliban and other non-government actors operate, making perceived neutrality crucial.
Many international organizations opt to (foretrækker) manage projects from Kabul and work through local NGOs, says a recent report by the Overseas Development Institute.
“The privileged humanitarian access enjoyed by national NGOs should be more fully exploited,” Suzanne Murray-Jones, senior adviser with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Afghanistan, told IRIN, saying that they often need capacity-building and adequate funding to do the job.
To ensure that humanitarian work is carried out in the provinces with the greatest need, the 2013 CHAP plan introduces a ranking of provinces by assessed humanitarian need, to avoid aid being directed at areas that are either easy to reach or politically important.
Natural disasters
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http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97162/AFGHANISTAN-Bleak-humanitarian-outlook-for-2013
