In 2025, humanitarian partners will continue to monitor the evolving needs of affected populations, assess the effectiveness of the humanitarian response and identify critical gaps to ensure timely, safe, and efficient delivery of assistance to the most vulnerable groups, including women and girls and persons with disabilities.
Situational monitoring
OCHA, in close collaboration with the Assessment and Analysis Working Group (AAWG), will maintain ongoing situational monitoring to track the evolving humanitarian context, the needs of affected populations, sector-specific updates and response progress. Key processes such as the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM),55 IPC and Seasonal Food Security Assessments56 – one planned for the end of the lean season and another after the fall harvest – tracking food security, malnutrition and other critical needs, and the WoAA will be central to identifying needs and monitoring the impact of the humanitarian response. Complementary tools, including Awaaz, Community-Based Protection Monitoring (CBPM), Community-Based Sentinel Sites, Data in Emergencies Monitoring (DiEM), District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2), Health Management Information Systems (HMIS), Health Resources and Services Availability Monitoring System (HeRAMS), Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), Joint Market Monitoring (JMMI), and Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transition (SMART) Surveys will further enhance monitoring and provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
Regular operational situation reports detailing cluster responses to existing and emerging needs will continue to provide insights into a detailed picture of assistance and service provision. The quarterly Humanitarian Situation Monitoring (HSM) reports will complement the WoAA by providing granular districtlevel data, offering seasonal insights to account for variations in needs across different times of the year, and identifying emerging trends and vulnerabilities. Additionally, cross-border movement monitoring will continue to analyse trends, particularly returns of undocumented Afghan nationals, ensuring response efforts adequately meet the needs of returnees and displaced populations.
Risk monitoring
Effective risk monitoring is essential for identifying potential disruptions to the humanitarian response and ensuring timely preparedness. In 2025, the focus will be on identifying and mitigating risks that could hinder operational effectiveness, such as access constraints, security risks and supply chain disruptions. Partner presence and geographical access will be continuously monitored to track the feasibility of response in hardto- reach areas. Regular reviews of access challenges will ensure realistic response targets, ensuring they reflect evolving operational realities. The ICCT will continue quarterly tracking of key humanitarian supply pipelines at the national and regional levels for relief items that are essential for emergency response to address gaps in supply chains and minimise disruptions.
To strengthen the preparedness of humanitarian partners and mitigate the impact of climate change, dry spell monitoring, introduced in 2024, will continue to be an important component of risk monitoring in 2025. In addition, the Anticipatory Action Framework for Drought in Afghanistan is being developed, defining the scope of the AA work and potential locations based on historical precipitation patterns, vulnerability criteria, and operational considerations.
Response monitoring
OCHA, through the Information Management Working Group (IMWG), will consolidate monthly district level response monitoring data from clusters. This information will inform the monthly response overview, quarterly response gaps and critical funding gaps analysis, which aim to strengthen collective efforts on multi-sectoral response to address needs effectively.
The response monitoring framework will include indicators and targets that track sector-specific progress and overall response effectiveness. This approach ensures equitable access to services and helps prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, particularly in areas with high severity of needs and where overlapping and inter-connected needs cannot be adequately covered through one sector on one occasion.
Monitoring cross-cutting issues & inclusiveness of humanitarian programming
In 2025, the humanitarian response will prioritize inclusivity by actively gathering feedback from affected populations, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, girls, young people and persons with disabilities. Feedback will be collected through community consultations, hotlines, and digital platforms like the Afghanistan Community Voices and Accountability Platform57 to ensure the safe and meaningful participation of vulnerable groups.
The response will track gender, age, and disability through disaggregated data to assess both the reach and impact of assistance. Regular monitoring will focus not only on the volume of assistance, but also its accessibility and effectiveness for vulnerable groups. The AAI58 developed in 2024, will continue to inform the HNRP reporting, ensuring transparency and accountability in humanitarian action.
Efforts will be made to engage women and persons with disabilities in key assessments and decision-making processes. Cross-border movement trends will also be closely monitored to address the needs of displaced populations, especially women and children. Findings from these assessments and community feedback will guide course corrections to ensure a more inclusive, adaptive response.
