WASH

Afghanistan continues to face prolonged water scarcity, drought, non-functioning WASH infrastructure and limited water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities and school, poverty, and rapid urbanisation, all of which put children and families at great risk. The increased frequency of droughts has worsened food insecurity and made safe drinking water increasingly scarce. 

According to the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2026(NHRP), 15.9 million people urgently need WASH services, especially in rural areas, schools, and health centres. Around 32% of population rely on unsafe drinking water sources, and over 37% families and children still lack soap for basic hygiene and handwashing and therefore exposing them to the public health risk and contributing to a rise in waterborne diseases. 

Save the Children delivers integrated WASH programming that supports the transition from emergency response to longer-term, climate-resilient WASH services and infrastructure. Interventions focus on improving access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for vulnerable communities, schools, and health facilities, while promoting sustainable and inclusive practices. 

WASH activities are closely integrated with health, nutrition, food security and livelihoods, education, and child protection, with a particular focus on reducing water- and vector-borne diseases affecting children. Key interventions include expanding access to clean water, improving environmental sanitation and hygiene awareness, promoting climate-resilient WASH systems, and delivering hygiene promotion and WASH non-food items to the children most in need and hard-to- reach communities.