Report on the Water Crisis in Kabul and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, is facing a severe water crisis that threatens its stability and the well-being of its population. A confluence of environmental, demographic, and political factors has led to the rapid depletion and contamination of the city’s primary water source, groundwater. This crisis has profound implications for the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating a complex humanitarian emergency.

Key Drivers of the Water Scarcity

The current emergency is the result of several interconnected factors that have systematically undermined the city’s water security, directly challenging the principles of sustainable resource management.

Resource Mismanagement and Over-extraction

• The city’s reliance on groundwater is almost total, yet its management has been inadequate. This directly contravenes the targets of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), which calls for sustainable water management.
• According to a report by Mercy Corps, groundwater levels have dropped by as much as 30 meters in the last decade.
• Kabul currently extracts 44 million cubic meters more groundwater annually than can be naturally replenished, leading to a critical deficit and the drying of nearly half the city’s boreholes.

Population Growth and Urbanization

• A rapid influx of population since 2001 has dramatically increased the demand for water in a city with insufficient infrastructure, placing immense pressure on urban resources and hindering progress toward SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Climate Change Impacts

• The crisis is compounded by climate change, a direct challenge to SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Changing weather patterns have resulted in less snowfall and more rainfall. Snowmelt is critical for the gradual recharge of groundwater aquifers.
• The lack of infrastructure to manage flash floods from increased rainfall means this water is largely lost instead of contributing to the groundwater supply. UNICEF predicts that at current rates, Kabul’s groundwater could be depleted by 2030.

Multifaceted Impacts on Sustainable Development

The water shortage has created a cascading crisis affecting health, economic stability, education, and gender equality, demonstrating a significant regression in multiple SDG areas.

Health and Well-being (SDG 3)

• Up to 80% of Kabul’s groundwater is contaminated due to factors such as widespread pit latrine use and industrial pollution.
• The consumption of unsafe water leads to prevalent health issues, including diarrhea and vomiting, undermining SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• Many residents who dig private wells find the water is not potable and must boil it, a process that does not remove all contaminants.

Economic Hardship and Poverty (SDG 1 & SDG 8)

• The lack of accessible public water forces families to purchase water from private tankers, with some spending up to 30% of their income on this basic necessity. This financial burden pushes families deeper into poverty, directly impacting SDG 1 (No Poverty).
• Residents sacrifice food and other essentials to afford water. The time spent queuing for water also reduces productive work hours, affecting household income and hindering SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Education and Gender Inequality (SDG 4 & SDG 5)

• The crisis disproportionately affects women and children. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty and vulnerability.
• Children, particularly girls, are often forced to miss school to fetch water for their families, a direct setback for SDG 4 (Quality Education).
• Women bear a significant portion of the water-collection burden. They face safety risks and harassment while traveling long distances, a challenge exacerbated by rules requiring a male guardian for travel. This situation severely undermines SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Exacerbating Factors: Governance and International Aid

Political instability and a reduction in international support have crippled the capacity to address the crisis, highlighting a failure in institutional strength and global partnerships.

Political Turmoil and Institutional Failure

• The political upheaval following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 led to an economic collapse and the freezing of development assistance, crippling the state’s ability to manage the water crisis and invest in necessary infrastructure. This reflects a significant challenge to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Funding Shortfalls

• A subsequent halt in foreign aid, including from USAID, has had severe consequences.
• By early 2025, only $8 million of the $264 million required for water and sanitation projects had been delivered, indicating a critical funding gap.
• This combination of collapsing local systems and frozen international funding leaves the population vulnerable and threatens to trigger further displacement, moving the city further away from the vision of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 1: No Poverty

   The article highlights the economic strain the water crisis places on families. Residents are forced to spend a significant portion of their income on water, with one family spending as much as 30%. This financial burden forces them to make difficult choices, “sacrificing food and other essentials just to drink and bathe,” which directly relates to poverty and economic vulnerability.

2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   The article explicitly links the water crisis to a health crisis. It states that up to 80% of Kabul’s groundwater is contaminated, leading to widespread water-borne diseases. A resident confirms, “Diarrhea and vomiting are ‘problems people experience all the time in the city’,” directly impacting the health and well-being of the population.

3. SDG 4: Quality Education

   The burden of fetching water directly impacts children’s education. The article notes that children, aged 13 and nine, are “sometimes skipping school to carry heavy buckets.” A quote from Mercy Corps reinforces this: “The hours that children should be spending in school, they are now basically spending on fetching water for their families,” compromising their right to a quality education.

4. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   The crisis disproportionately affects women and girls. The article states, “Women shoulder much of this crisis — forced to walk for hours across Kabul just to fetch what little water they can.” It also highlights the safety risks they face, such as harassment, especially under rules requiring a male guardian for them to go outside, thus addressing the need for gender equality and the empowerment of women.

5. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   This is the central theme of the article. It details the severe lack of access to safe and affordable drinking water in Kabul (“We don’t have access to (drinking) water at all”). It also covers issues of water quality (80% contamination), unsustainable water management (over-extraction depleting groundwater), and inadequate sanitation (“widespread pit latrine use” causing pollution).

6. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   The time-consuming task of securing water affects livelihoods and economic productivity. One resident states that queuing for water “was holding us back from our work and was affecting our income.” On a larger scale, the article warns that the crisis could lead to “economic collapse,” threatening the city’s overall economic stability.

7. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   The article portrays Kabul as an unsustainable city on the brink of disaster. It discusses the challenges of rapid population growth, inadequate infrastructure, and the failure to provide basic services like water. The threat of the city running “completely dry” and the potential for mass displacement (“We won’t have any other choice but to be displaced again”) are key issues related to urban sustainability.

8. SDG 13: Climate Action

   The article connects Kabul’s water scarcity to the climate crisis. A water resource expert explains that climate change is altering precipitation patterns, with “more and more rain, but less and less snow.” Since snowmelt is crucial for replenishing the city’s groundwater, this change exacerbates the water shortage, highlighting the city’s vulnerability to climate impacts.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

  The article demonstrates a complete failure to meet this target in Kabul. Residents lack access to safe water, with many stating, “We don’t have access to (drinking) water at all.” The water they can obtain is not affordable, as it is “expensive, stretching nerves and their budgets to breaking point.”

• Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution.

  The article shows that water quality is extremely poor. It is stated that “Up to 80% of Kabul’s groundwater is contaminated, a consequence of widespread pit latrine use and industrial waste pollution.” This directly relates to the goal of reducing pollution to improve water quality.

• Target 6.4: Substantially increase water-use efficiency and ensure sustainable withdrawals to address water scarcity.

  The article highlights severe water stress and unsustainable practices. It reports that “Kabul now extracts 44 million cubic meters more groundwater each year than nature can replenish,” leading to groundwater levels dropping by up to 30 meters. This points to a critical need to address water scarcity through sustainable management.

• Target 3.3: End the epidemics of water-borne diseases.

  The prevalence of “Diarrhea and vomiting” due to contaminated water indicates that water-borne diseases are a persistent problem, directly opposing the aim of this target.

• Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.

  The fact that children are “sometimes skipping school” to fetch water shows a direct barrier to completing their education, making this target relevant.

• Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work.

  The article describes how women and children spend hours fetching water, a form of unpaid domestic work. The statement that these “harmful coping strategies further deepen the cycle of poverty and vulnerability for women and children” underscores the unvalued and burdensome nature of this work.

• Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.

  Water is a fundamental basic service. The article’s focus on the lack of affordable and safe water for the residents of Kabul directly relates to this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 6.1 (Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services):

  The article implies this proportion is extremely low. Descriptions of families relying on expensive water tankers, queuing at mosques, or using contaminated well water that must be boiled indicate a lack of safely managed services.

• Indicator for Target 6.3 (Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality):

  A direct statistic is provided: “Up to 80% of Kabul’s groundwater is contaminated.” This serves as a clear indicator of poor water quality.

• Indicator for Target 6.4 (Level of water stress):

  The article provides quantitative data indicating extreme water stress: “Kabul now extracts 44 million cubic meters more groundwater each year than nature can replenish.” The drop in groundwater levels “by up to 30 meters over the last decade” is another measurable indicator.

• Indicator for Target 1.4 (Proportion of household expenditure on basic services):

  The article provides a specific data point: one resident “spends as much as 30% of his income on water,” which can be used as an indicator of the economic burden.

• Indicator for Target 4.1 (School attendance rate):

  The article implies a negative impact on this indicator by stating that children are “sometimes skipping school” and spending hours that “should be spending in school” on fetching water.

• Indicator for Target 3.3 (Incidence of water-borne diseases):

  The qualitative statement that “Diarrhea and vomiting are ‘problems people experience all the time in the city'” serves as an indicator of the high incidence of such diseases.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cnn.com