Afghanistan | ActionAid UK

Afghanistan

Since 2002, we’ve been in Afghanistan supporting women to claim their rights and helping children go to school.

Coronavirus in Afghanistan

We are currently responding to the Covid-19 crisis as it affects vulnerable communities across Afghanistan. 

Millions of lives are at stake as Covid-19 hits refugee camps and war-torn countries like Afghanistan. 

The coronavirus pandemic is having a devastating impact on Afghanistan. 

The major concerns in the country are the low testing capacity of the virus; the lack of hygiene materials and protective equipment for frontline workers and others; rising food prices, an increase in violence against women and girls, and the spread of misinformation about the virus.  

ActionAid is providing hygiene kits in 9 provinces of Afghanistan: Herat, Balkh, Bamyan, Jawzjan, Samangan, Kabul, Nangarhar, Ghor, and Farah. 

We’re also distributing food parcels to vulnerable communities, including informal workers, people with disabilities, and those facing extreme hunger due to the lockdown. 

our teams in Afghanistan have reached 170,000 people with awareness-raising projects, which train communities on how to prevent the spread of Covid-19. 

We’re also working to protect women as cases of gender-based violence increase. 

If we act now to protect millions of vulnerable refugees and displaced people, many lives can be saved. Please donate now.

 

Donate to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal now

 

Why we work in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. Disasters like recurring droughts, floods, and conflict have left millions of people struggling to survive.

In Afghanistan, 42% of the population lives below the poverty line, and 20% of people living just above the poverty line are highly vulnerable to falling into poverty.1

Although the lives of Afghan women and girls have improved since the end of the Taliban regime, women and girls still face human rights abuses.

Sexual harassment, domestic violence, and early forced marriage are still common in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas. 

 

 

  • 1. https://www.ifad.org/en/ ↩
AF
  • 41
    41% of children under 5 years old are stunted due to chronic undernutrition1. 
  • 87
    87% of women in Afghanistan have experienced domestic abuse.2
  • 60
    60% of girls are not of school in Afghanistan3.
  • 1. https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/nutrition ↩
  • 2. https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/PW98_Women's-Access-to-Justice-in-Afghanistan.pdf ↩
  • 3. https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/education ↩

Freshta

Four-year-old Freshta (left) is an ActionAid sponsored child. Her family are one of hundreds of families living in caves up in the mountains to avoid the Taliban

Photo: Lorenzo Tugnoli/ActionAid

What we do in Afghanistan

We’ve helped 100,000 people in Afghanistan across five provinces: Bamyan, Balkh, Hirat, Jawjan and Kabul.

Support women's rights

In Afghanistan, ActionAid has set up discussion groups where local facilitators help other women understand and practise their rights.

We train the facilitators to teach women in their communities vital skills like reading and writing - helping them to take control of their own lives.

Protect and educate children

Through local partners, we protect children across several provinces of Afghanistan, focusing on education and play time for children affected by conflict - including ex-child soldiers traumatised by war.

We work with schools, education departments, and community groups to promote the importance of education for children - especially girls because they're often the ones who miss out on going to or finishing school.

We run special courses to help more girls catch up on their studies, finish secondary school, and enrol into higher education.

Footnotes

Top image: Ruqia is describing the details on Covid-19 to Azada Matin Khairy/ActionAid. Others: Lorenzo Tugnoli/ActionAid