An Urgent Call for Lifesaving Humanitarian Response for Women and Girls in Afghanistan
On International Human Rights Day, a coalition of NGOs and humanitarian organizations published a new brief to raise the alarm on the calamitous situation for Afghan women and girls and urge an immediate response from the U.S. government.
December 2021: Over the 20 years of U.S. engagement in Afghanistan, Afghan women and girls made tremendous gains in securing their rights to education, political participation, and economic inclusion. However, since the fall of the government, the rights of women and girls and other marginalized groups have suffered significant rollbacks, including death threats by the Taliban, barriers to accessing lifesaving services and resources, and human rights abuses, such as prohibitions on girls’ access to secondary school and universities and intimidation of female journalists
Afghan Economy Nearing Total Collapse
Violent conflict, a devastating drought, and food insecurity affecting over half the population in Afghanistan are driving one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Assessments indicate this emergency will exponentially grow as Afghanistan’s economy teeters on the edge of total collapse and the country remains almost entirely dependent on external aid.
Agencies Urging Immediate Action
