The Afghan Approach To Daily Hygiene: Exploring Cultural Bathing Rituals

Afghanistan is facing a crisis regarding access to clean water and sanitation. The country's economy has been disrupted by war, and the lack of a water infrastructure plan has led to waterborne and diarrhoeal diseases. The majority of households do not have direct access to water, and only 30% of households safely dispose of the faeces of children under the age of three. In addition, 92% of Afghanistan's population did not have access to proper sanitation in 2007, exposing them to life-threatening diseases.

Water scarcity due to climate change and conflict

Afghanistan is facing a water crisis, with climate change and conflict being the two main drivers. The country is landlocked and highly dependent on snow runoff from its mountains for its water supply. However, due to poor water infrastructure, only 30% of this water remains in the country. The rest flows out or becomes unusable due to war, corruption, and mismanagement.

The effects of climate change are felt first through water, and children are the worst affected. Record droughts have forced tens of thousands of families to flee their homes in search of clean water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Today, nearly two-thirds of the population has been impacted by drought, and river levels continue to plummet. As a result, water-borne diseases such as cholera are on the rise, and malnutrition is widespread, with half of the population facing acute hunger.

Climate change is also causing more extreme weather conditions, with neighbouring Pakistan receiving three times its usual rainfall in August 2022, leading to atypical heavy rains and flooding in Afghanistan. Furthermore, deforestation, largely due to fires during combat, deliberate deforestation to deny habitat to fighters, and timber smuggling, has contributed to environmental degradation, further exacerbating the water crisis.

Conflict has also played a significant role in the water crisis. Decades of war and political instability have decimated Afghanistan's water infrastructure, and the ongoing conflict has undermined the country's capacity to cope with ecological threats. Additionally, the lack of focus on water management by the government has created an opportunity for the Taliban to expand their presence in rural areas by recruiting jobless young farmers.

The combination of climate change and conflict has severe implications for the people of Afghanistan, particularly women and children, who often bear the brunt of water scarcity. Women and girls are often responsible for fetching water, which takes time away from education or pursuing livelihoods. Water scarcity also leads to increased food insecurity, with farmers losing their crops and livestock to drought. As a result, parents are sometimes forced to offer their daughters into child marriage or sell their few remaining assets to survive.

To address the water crisis, there is a need for effective water governance and improved water infrastructure. Additionally, international aid and investment in climate-resilient facilities and small-scale solutions are crucial to providing clean water and sanitation to communities.

Poor sanitation and lack of access to toilets

Afghanistan has been experiencing a crisis regarding clean water and sanitation. The country's poor sanitation and lack of access to toilets have severe health, social, and environmental consequences.

According to the State of the World's Toilets 2007 report, about 92% of Afghanistan's population of 26.6 million did not have access to proper sanitation. This lack of access to proper sanitation facilities exposes people, especially children, the elderly, and women, to life-threatening diseases. Diarrheal diseases claim the lives of an estimated 85,000 Afghan children under the age of five annually. In addition, poor sanitation disproportionately affects women and girls, putting them at risk of physical and psychological harm, especially during menstrual, pregnancy, and postnatal periods.

The lack of toilets in schools is a significant barrier to education for girls in Afghanistan. In many schools, girls have to use toilets located in the boys' school buildings, which lack privacy and are often unclean. As a result, girls may stay home during their periods, leading to accumulated absences, poor academic achievement, and an increased risk of dropping out of school.

Open defecation is also prevalent in Afghanistan, causing the spread of diseases and contaminating the environment. Human waste is often disposed of in open areas or near waterways, which can quickly spread infections. This practice is particularly dangerous for individuals living near these waterways.

The water infrastructure deficit in Afghanistan is due to decades of civil war and negligence, which have left cities like Kabul in ruins. The lack of investment in improving water infrastructure further exacerbates the issue. As a result, only 30% of the water derived from snow runoff stays in Afghanistan, and the country heavily relies on natural water sources such as rivers, streams, and wells.

To address these issues, organizations like UNICEF have partnered with local governments and ministries to improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities. They promote community-led solutions, such as encouraging people to build and use their own latrines, and providing resources and education on improved hygiene practices. Despite progress, Afghanistan still has a long way to go in ensuring clean water and proper sanitation for all its citizens.

Waterborne diseases and diarrhoeal diseases

Afghanistan has a high risk of infectious diseases, including waterborne and diarrhoeal diseases. The country's poor hygienic conditions, lack of sanitation, and inadequate access to safe drinking water contribute to the spread of these diseases.

Waterborne Diseases

Waterborne diseases are caused by consuming contaminated water or coming into contact with faeces. In Afghanistan, the lack of proper sanitation infrastructure and hygiene practices facilitates the transmission of waterborne pathogens. Open defecation is prevalent, especially in rural areas, and human waste contaminates water sources. Additionally, the country's water supply is often contaminated with nitrites and nitrates, and proper waste disposal systems are lacking. These factors increase the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and parasitic infections.

Diarrhoeal Diseases

Diarrhoeal diseases are a significant health concern in Afghanistan, particularly among children. Poor sanitation and hygiene practices, as well as malnutrition, contribute to the high incidence of diarrhoeal diseases. The lack of access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities exacerbates the problem. Diarrhoeal diseases are often caused by microbial contamination of drinking water, leading to infections such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.

The impact of diarrhoeal diseases is severe, with approximately 9,500 children dying from diarrhoea-related illnesses each year in Afghanistan. The risk is higher among malnourished children and those from impoverished households. Additionally, diarrhoeal diseases hinder children's physical and cognitive development, leading to malnutrition and impaired development.

To address these issues, organisations like UNICEF have implemented interventions such as improving access to safe drinking water, promoting hygiene practices, and constructing sanitation facilities. These efforts have led to a decrease in diarrhoeal disease cases and open defecation practices. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all Afghans have access to basic sanitation and safe drinking water.

Lack of infrastructure for clean water

Afghanistan's water crisis is a result of various factors, including geographical constraints, climate change, lack of education on clean water and sanitation, and decades of war that have decimated the country's infrastructure. The lack of infrastructure for clean water and sanitation has led to a range of issues for Afghans, especially women and children, who are often responsible for fetching water for their households.

One of the main issues is the lack of reservoirs, canals, and infrastructure to collect and store water. Afghanistan is a landlocked country, relying mainly on the natural flow of snow runoff from the mountains. While there are some reservoirs, they are not enough to meet the country's needs, and some have been destroyed during the decades of conflict. As a result, only 30-35% of the water coming from the mountains stays in Afghanistan, with the rest flowing into neighboring countries. This has led to disputes with neighboring nations over water rights, which have sometimes led to violent clashes.

The lack of infrastructure also means that Afghans have limited access to sanitation facilities. According to a 2007 report, about 92% of Afghanistan's population did not have access to proper sanitation. While this number has improved slightly over the years, the lack of sanitation facilities poses a significant risk to public health, especially for children and the elderly. Open defecation is still a prevalent issue in Afghanistan, with human waste spreading disease, especially in waterways.

The water that is available is often contaminated due to a lack of proper waste management and disposal. In big cities, hospitals commonly bury their waste underground or leave it above ground, allowing poisons and infectious material to seep into the underground water supply over time. The lack of wastewater management and treatment facilities further exacerbates the problem, as there is no way to treat and clean the water before it is used for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

The lack of clean water and sanitation has severe consequences for the health and well-being of Afghans. Waterborne and diarrheal diseases are common, with an estimated 85,000 Afghan children under the age of five dying annually from diarrheal disease. Malnutrition is also a significant issue, as contaminated water and dying crops lead to a lack of nutritious food. Additionally, women and girls are disproportionately affected, as they are often responsible for fetching water, which takes time away from their education and livelihoods.

While there have been some improvements in recent years, mainly due to the efforts of organizations like UNICEF and external partners like Germany, the water crisis in Afghanistan remains a critical issue that needs to be addressed. The lack of infrastructure for clean water and sanitation continues to have devastating consequences for the country's population, especially the most vulnerable members.

The impact on women and girls

Afghanistan's water crisis has had a devastating impact on women and girls, who are often responsible for fetching water for their households. This everyday chore robs them of precious hours for learning or pursuing livelihoods. They are also obliged to stay home and care for children who fall ill with disease or malnutrition.

The lack of access to clean, safe, and private toilets is a major barrier to education for girls in Afghanistan. In one school in Kabul, the only toilets the girls had access to were on the far side of the boys' school next door. The toilets had no locking doors, and the girls had to cope with sexual harassment from male students on the way there. As a result, many girls stay home during their periods, falling behind on their studies and increasing their risk of dropping out of school altogether.

In addition to the lack of access to toilets, there is also a lack of menstrual hygiene management facilities in schools. UNICEF is working to address this issue by providing separate bathrooms for males and females and introducing curricula surrounding menstrual hygiene.

The Taliban's restrictive policies have further exacerbated the challenges faced by women and girls in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, women have been banned from working in NGO offices and have been wholly excluded from public office and the judiciary. They have also been banned from entering amusement parks, public baths, gyms, and sports clubs. The Taliban has also imposed a strict dress code on women and girls, requiring them to cover their faces in public and not travel more than 75 km without a male chaperone.

The cumulative effect of the Taliban's edicts and behaviours has largely resulted in the imprisonment of women within the walls of their homes. They are denied their fundamental rights and freedoms, including the rights to education, work, health, freedom of movement, and freedom from fear and discrimination.

The water crisis and the Taliban's restrictive policies have severe consequences for the health and well-being of women and girls in Afghanistan. They face increased risks of waterborne and diarrhoeal diseases, malnutrition, and other health issues due to a lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

Overall, the impact on women and girls in Afghanistan due to the water crisis and restrictive policies is profound, affecting their education, health, safety, and overall well-being.

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