[{"bbox": [146, 152, 1083, 297], "category": "Text", "text": "It is essential that the number of well-qualified teachers meet the needs of the increasing number of school-age children. Quality education is also linked to protective and safe education spaces, with adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities, nutrition and mental health and psychosocial support, when needed. Poverty and other social and political challenges have a direct impact in the education services."}, {"bbox": [146, 309, 1083, 454], "category": "Text", "text": "While the DFA policies have exacerbated the challenges in the education sector, some of them are not new. The high level of aid dependency, the cultural barriers, the structural and systemic concerns around the school environment (including adequate infrastructures, such as WASH), teaching and learning, affect equitable access and quality. It should also be noted, that high level of poverty remains one of the main barriers for boys and girls to access education."}, {"bbox": [146, 466, 1083, 723], "category": "Text", "text": "The support to the education sector in Afghanistan by the international community was always seen as a sensitive endeavour. Although the Taliban interim administration is not recognised, they are the DFA and decide about the national education policies. When it comes to the curriculum, the DFA have maintained the use of pre-existing text books, however the increasingly conservative policies being put in place (ban on girls education at secondary level and restrictions on personal freedom, in particular for women) raise concerns on a possible revision of the education policies/curriculum. The recent DFA announcement that a TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) centre has been transformed in a madrassa confirms those concerns."}, {"bbox": [146, 740, 1083, 969], "category": "Text", "text": "In the current context, various initiatives to support the education sector and to provide alternative learning opportunities are being developed by NGOs and international organisations and discussion are currently ongoing on the needs and the necessity to carefully calibrate them vis-a-vis de DFA. The EU will continue its humanitarian support to non-formal and community-based education. Investment in infrastructure development would be needed to complement humanitarian aid, to ensure schools are physically in place and safe, but also as a means to facilitate girls' access to education (e.g. need for different classrooms, dedicated sanitation facilities)."}, {"bbox": [146, 983, 1083, 1302], "category": "Text", "text": "The EU has committed to providing support to basic needs on the basis of human rights based approach, including equal access. Because of the volatile context and unpredictability of the de facto authorities' announcements, while support for primary education is foreseen, the EU could provide basic needs' support to the education sector at the secondary level only in those areas where girls have access to schools. Support for girls' education at the secondary level outside of formal channels will be explored with relevant UN agencies and INGOs. In the current context, a number of activities supporting the right of women and girls to education might need to be conducted in neighbouring countries. At the same time, education should not be seen in isolation but as part of a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to respond to basic needs and to support essential services in Afghanistan, including nutrition, health and food security."}, {"bbox": [146, 1323, 273, 1350], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## Livelihoods"}, {"bbox": [146, 1357, 1083, 1502], "category": "Text", "text": "Adverse economic and climatic conditions are likely to exacerbate further economic hardship, poverty, food insecurity and displacement. The consequence of inaction would be a deteriorated humanitarian situation, further internal displacement, overloading the weakened social system throughout the country. An increase in external migration, which would put an additional burden on host communities in neighbouring countries, remains a real possibility."}, {"bbox": [146, 1514, 1083, 1601], "category": "Text", "text": "The issue has been compounded by the major internal forced displacement caused by conflicts and disasters. Both IDPs and returnees have often lost their livelihoods and are facing difficulties re-establishing it. Others, such as the Hazara, are victims of ethnic violence and"}, {"bbox": [1059, 1642, 1082, 1664], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "15"}]