KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The government of Japan has provided $2.5 million to support communities in Afghanistan affected by natural disasters and emergencies, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced Monday.
In a statement, UNICEF welcomed the contribution, highlighting that only 24% of households in Afghanistan have access to basic drinking water and sanitation services. The agency warned that millions remain vulnerable to outbreaks of acute diarrhea, polio, and other diseases due to inadequate sanitation.
“This funding will help to prevent the risk of waterborne diseases by supporting the rehabilitation and construction of water supply systems and promoting household hygiene,” UNICEF said.
The funding will support a range of initiatives, including improving access to safe water in communities and hospitals, delivering medicines to treat waterborne diseases, and running awareness programs on disease prevention and hygiene promotion for 78,000 people—half of them children—in disaster-affected areas, according to UNICEF.
“As the humanitarian crisis continues in Afghanistan, the needs are immense and often interconnected. Our goal is to deliver a comprehensive package of interventions to address both short-term and long-term needs of children and their communities,” Japan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Kuromiya Takayoshi, said in the statement.
UNICEF added that Japan’s contribution would also help expand services for children and women at risk of exploitation and abuse. This includes support for children facing separation from their families, child marriage, and other forms of abuse.
Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF’s Representative to Afghanistan, expressed appreciation for Japan’s continued support. He noted that in the past year, UNICEF and Japan had collaborated on constructing and rehabilitating classrooms and establishing platforms to protect children from abuse and exploitation.
Afghanistan remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate-related disasters, with prolonged droughts in recent years severely limiting access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations operating in Afghanistan have been grappling with a major funding shortfall, leading to service reductions and suspensions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently warned that 80% of its supported health facilities could close by June without additional funding, jeopardizing access to medical care for millions, including women and children.
“These closures are not just statistics. They mean mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing life-saving vaccinations, and entire communities left defenseless against deadly diseases,” said Dr. Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO Representative in Afghanistan. “The consequences will be measured in lives lost.”
