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Plan of Action

In order to address these existing problems in Afghanistan, it is crucial to have the involvement of other agencies to ensure the plan runs accordingly. The first reform that must be brought to the country is the reestablishment of security and the rule of law. By adjusting the laws in terms of enhancing national security and placing a limitation on the number of births that a woman is allowed to give enable the economy of Afghanistan to flourish slowly, but steadily. In addition, assistance must be provided to the refugees and displaced people, and education is a necessity for all. Studies have shown that women who are more educated give births to fewer children, often with a maximum of three children. This is because they are aware of the hardship of raising children and the concept of birth control. They are also more capable of resisting family pressures of having more children that may become potential help on the land. Furthermore, by having major governmental projects such as the building of a dam or other new infrastructures can help create job opportunities and eventually give rise to an economic stability in Afghanistan. As a result, in order to address these crises, an improvement in security, education and governmental involvement must be encouraged. 

Environmental Issues

Being a country that is heavily dependent on agriculture, most of the fertile lands in Afghanistan have been severely degraded. This is due to constant farming, illegal harvesting, and widespread grazing. To make the matter worse, the ceaseless activities of warfare, civil disorder, lack of governmental support and natural disasters such as drought, floods and earthquakes have contributed to an even greater toll on Afghanistan’s human resources. With the decrease in the nation’s natural resources, Afghanistan has become extremely vulnerable to food shortages and other related crises. Pollution in both rural and urban environment is serious. People in many parts of the country do not have access to clean drinking water, especially those who live in rural areas. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been bringing safe drinking water to the country by providing sanitation facilities and education on hygiene behavior in order to increase the 12 percent of Afghans who have access to drinking water in rural areas. However, environmental degradation remains the most serious concern in Afghanistan. The once fertile top soils are dried and no longer capable of supporting the large population of people who rely on agricultural inputs greatly. If the problem continues to worsen, many more will be left with diminishing hope despite the effort that non-governmental organizations or USAIDS have made.

Health Status of Afghanistan

Afghanistan has one of the worst health statuses in the world. It has a maternal mortality rate of 460 deaths/100,000 live births, as of 2010 UNICEF report. Its death rate is 14.35 deaths/1,000 population (2013 CIA). The total fertility rate is 6.3 (MICS 2003). Two of the most prominent health concerns are tuberculosis and malaria. Tuberculosis is a disease that is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is estimated that nearly three million people are killed by tuberculosis each year, with 10,500 people every year in Afghanistan. Malaria is a deadly infectious mosquito-borne disease that can cause fatal deaths if treatment is not available. It kills 1.2 million people every year, with 37 deaths every hour in Afghanistan. The key to these concerns is unsanitary waste disposal, work environment and the contamination of water. Although treatment to both health concerns is relatively inexpensive, its availability to some rural parts of Afghanistan remains problematic. To make the matter worse, there are a growing number of Afghan people infected with HIV/AIDS, a sexually transmitted disease that remains incurable in today’s society. Current studies show that 1,250 HIV cases have been reported in Afghanistan, with an estimation of 2,000 to 3,000 unreported ones. There is a great potential growth in the number of people infected with HIV in the near future if the number of injecting drug users (IDUs) does not cease. Ultimately, the fate of Afghanistan remains uncertain.

   

Population Concern

With the rapid increase in population, Afghanistan will face a tremendous problem in the future. The government will have to increase its budget in order to provide social services to the new population. This can be exceptionally stressful for the already highly indebted poor country. Ismatullah Ramzi, advisor to the CSO, says that Afghanistan’s population increases by 500,000 annually, adding on to the burden of the small work force.“This is a certainly major issue. The population’s education, health, shelter and food requirements should be seriously considered.”Predictions have been made by the CSO that Afghanistan’s population will grow over 26 million in the next few years, judging from the surveys taken in 2004 and 2005. However, the current population of Afghanistan is roughly around 31 million, well over the estimated value that the CSO has expected. Although the increase in population means higher dependency load, it also provides new opportunities for people. Children will be able to work in farms or assist their parents in other ways that may decrease the weight on their shoulders. The increase in the number of people entering the job market will bring about a slow but steady improvement on its economy. As positive as it seems, there are still many issues regarding the rise in population that need to be resolved before the economy has a chance to thrive. According to Ministry of Health, an Afghan mother gives birth to an average of five children. This is a cultural practice that many Afghan people value: they believe that a large family brings about more help on the land. Also, with a high infant mortality rate of 127.18 deaths in every 1,000 live births of male, and 111.25 deaths/1,000 live births of female, it is within reasons for an Afghan woman to give births to many children. If the limitation on births is still not strictly implemented in its system, Afghanistan will be confronted with a serious economic crisis in the near future. As a result, the rise in population can pose more threats to the country than bring about positive changes to its current state.