Speeches Shim
Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under five worldwide. Most diarrhea-related deaths in children are due to dehydration from loss of large quantities of body fluids and electrolytes. Management of diarrhea, either through oral rehydration salts (ORS) or a appropriate home fluids (e.g., breastmilk, rice water, plain water, sugar-salt solution (SSS), etc.) can prevent many of these deaths. Since 2003, childhood diarrhea cases have been treated as part of the Afghan Basic Package of Health Services. However, the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey (AfDHS) revealed that less than half of children with diarrhea received treatment with ORS, and only 10 percent received zinc.
In 2015, Afghanistan launched its first-ever nationwide effort to gather comprehensive demographic and health information on its citizens. The Demographic and Health Survey provides rigorous data on fertility levels, marriage rates, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutritional status of mothers and young children, childhood and maternal health and mortality, as well as information on social indicators, such as domestic violence. The study was conducted across all 34 provinces of the country. Data collected provided the government of Afghanistan, development partners, policymakers, and non-governmental organizations with high-quality provincial and national-level data for use by researchers, policy makers, and the general public. Results are compiled according to international standards and, consequently, are easily comparable with results collected in other countries.
Sehatmandi is a three-year, $600 million on-budget project administered by the World Bank through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) and implemented by the Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health. The project objective is to increase the utilization and quality of health, nutrition, and family planning services. USAID contributes $90 million; other major donors include the World Bank, European Union, Canada, and Global Financing Facilities.
The USAID Promote Rolling Baseline and Endline is a longitudinal study to determine results of the Promoting Gender Equity in the National Priority Programs (Promote) using a unique fingerprint-based monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system. The rolling baseline and endline survey collects detailed information on Promote direct beneficiaries. The information gathered enables USAID/Afghanistan to measure changes in the beneficiary population’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to the status of women in Afghanistan.
The U.S. Government is committed to women’s empowerment in Afghanistan. Improving access to workforce development, training and education for Afghan women and girls is vital to their empowerment. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provides scholarship opportunities for young Afghan women to access quality education and training, which will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Afghan government by upgrading the skills and qualifications of female civil servants.
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