Country profile - Afghanistan

Women for Women International has made the difficult decision to close its Country Office and end direct programme implementation in Afghanistan.

We are immensely proud and grateful to our Afghanistan team for their courage, commitment and resilience. We express our sincere thanks to the donors and partners whose support has helped make this work possible over the years.

Since 2002, we have reached over 140,000 women and girls across multiple provinces in Afghanistan, providing them with the tools, knowledge and resources to rebuild their lives and support their families. We remain dedicated to supporting them and local organisations.

We remain committed to the women and girls of Afghanistan and to ensuring that our global community stands in solidarity with them, responds to their needs, honours their strength, and elevates their voices.

Read our full statement.

• Millions of women in Afghanistan have little or no access to healthcare.
• Women are prohibited from working in most sectors, cutting off vital income for families.
• Girls are barred from attending school beyond 6th grade, and universities are closed to women.
• Women face severe restrictions on movement and are often not allowed in parks, gyms or other public venues.
• Intimate Partner Violence, early and forced marriage, is prevalent. 

Despite the upending of women’s access to education, employment and personal freedoms, Women for Women International’s locally-led team continues to deliver in areas where permission has been granted.

We still see remarkable fortitude among the women we serve as they strive for self-sufficiency and financial independence.

• Since 2002, a total of 146,427 Afghan women have been reached and served (as of the end of 2025)
• Since inception, our local team has reached 6,677 men through our Men’s Engagement Programme. 

Four years ago, Ferhana graduated from the Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme in Afghanistan, and it changed everything for her.

Women for Women International supported her burgeoning jewellery business, so that she could set up a shop. It provided a vital source of income since Ferhana is the sole breadwinner for her family. Later, she had the confidence to persuade the authorities to allow her to keep the shop open.

A comprehensive report highlighting the exclusion of Afghan women from critical UN meetings with the Taliban. 

Afghanistan is facing the most serious women’s rights crisis in the world, ranking 177 out of 177 countries on the Women’s Peace and Security Index. Since taking power, the de facto authorities have subjected Afghan women to exceedingly restrictive policies, which prevent them from accessing the full spectrum of their rights – including banning women from secondary and higher education, working for NGOs, political and social participation, access to public spaces such as parks and in some places a ban on them leaving the house without a mahram (close male relative). 

The 'Lost in Consultation' report reveals the international community’s lack of willingness to engage Afghan women in discussions about their future. Compiled from responses of 213 women-led organisations across Afghanistan, this report sheds light on the urgent need for accountability and transparency.