KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – More than 70 percent of Afghan women are facing barriers in accessing humanitarian aid, UN Women said in a new report.
The report, drawing on 20,000 interviews across the country, provides an in-depth look at the growing challenges confronting women and girls amid Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
It attributes the situation to entrenched gender inequality, systemic barriers, and the Taliban’s restrictive policies, which have deepened vulnerabilities across all sectors of humanitarian assistance.
UN Women noted that harsh rules, including the requirement for women to travel with a male guardian and restrictive dress codes, have severely restricted women’s participation in public life.
The Taliban’s ban on women working for NGOs and UN agencies has further limited access to essential services such as healthcare, education, nutrition, and protection. The absence of female aid workers, combined with restrictions on movement, is cited as a key factor behind the widespread difficulty women face in obtaining assistance.
The report also highlights the devastating impact of the education ban. Girls are prohibited from attending school beyond the primary level, creating a major educational gap that blocks future job opportunities and perpetuates poverty.
Currently, only 43 percent of school-age girls are enrolled, and almost no girls aged 13 to 17 attend school. UN Women warned that this loss of education not only stifles individual potential but also undermines Afghanistan’s long-term social and economic development.
Female-headed households have been hit particularly hard. Many face overcrowded living conditions, lack of warm clothing during winter, and an inability to secure safe housing, worsening their economic vulnerability. Rising economic pressures have forced some families to skip meals, pull children out of school, and marry off young daughters.
These hardships are especially severe for female-headed families, who face higher debt burdens and greater financial instability compared to male-headed ones.
UN Women stressed that tackling these economic hardships is critical for improving Afghan families’ welfare and resilience.
Systemic barriers have also sharply restricted women’s access to healthcare. A shortage of female health workers, financial barriers, and movement restrictions have worsened maternal, reproductive, and mental health outcomes. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are particularly vulnerable, facing poor nutrition and a high risk of malnutrition.
The report warns that Afghan women and girls are increasingly exposed to gender-based violence, early marriage, and displacement.
The ongoing erosion of civil rights and the exclusion of women from community decision-making continue to push them further to the margins.
Nearly four years into their rule, the Taliban have systematically stripped women and girls of their rights to education and work.
