Our 6,000 person staff—99 percent of them Afghans themselves—are working across 12 provinces to deliver programs in education, health and nutrition, women’s protection and empowerment, and more.

The IRC has been working in Afghanistan since 1988, providing aid to Afghans impacted by conflict and disaster.

On August 24, 2021, IRC staff provided updates on the Afghanistan crisis and how our teams are responding around the world to help Afghans in need.

Our team’s ability to operate in communities across the country is rooted in their expertise and decades-long presence.

From the IRC's 2022 Global Virtual Event, a story about Nazo, an IRC community health worker from Afghanistan, a country that was recently hit with a devastating earthquake. The International Rescue Committee helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

Our work in Afghanistan, which has from the start spanned “the arc of crisis” from conflict to resettlement, has never been more urgent and crucial.

Between May 4th-12th, 2021 the International Rescue Committee (IRC) conducted a drought needs assessment in the provinces of Herat, Badghis, Pakitya, Helmand and Khost to get a clear understanding of the impact of the situation caused by the extreme weather conditions that have affected different parts of the world, including Afghanistan. A sample from 484 community members across the five provinces show that water resources are becoming increasingly scarce as result of slow onset drought conditions, with reported cases of increased conflict over water in various communities. Pastoralists have started experiencing loss of livestock and strain on pastoral livelihoods and this will worsen as food prices increase; it has already been reported that some households have not been able meet their food needs. Key findings include: -83% of 484 people interviewed are already experiencing displacement within their communities -75% respondents reported an increase in conflict arising in areas where water supplies have depleted -81% of participants with children under the age of 5 reported diarrhea and illness owing to a lack of clean water -Interviewees said that some families are being pushed towards extreme survival measures  such as selling off their assets,livestocks reducing the number of meals, and child marriage To prevent large-scale displacement, early response is required to support households faced with challenges of food security and livelihoods in form of cash-based assistance or food distributions. Livelihood support should also be prioritised to protect household assets including provision of livestock fodder and veterinary service. This drought assessment report did not include the other major humanitarian factors such as COVID-19, food security situation and conflict, which impact the lives of the Afghans as a whole.