Executive summary​

 

Women and girls are increasingly being pushed out of public space in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban took over as de facto authorities (DFA), they have imposed a long list of restrictions on women’s movement, activities and rights. This has made it difficult for women to engage with humanitarian aid. The recent ban on women aid workers has left many women unable to access aid at all.​

 

Salma Consulting and Ground Truth Solutions (GTS) supported by UN Women and the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) working group, spoke with over 2,000 women and men living in Afghanistan between November and December 2022 through household surveys and qualitative focus group discussions (FGDs). In these conversations, we collected communities’ views on how aid is provided, how gender norms and restrictions are impacting access to humanitarian assistance, and the extent to which aid is gender-sensitive. We based this on a normative understanding of gender roles and which vulnerabilities – or which combination of risk factors – most impact access to, and satisfaction with, aid. The data were collected just before the nationwide ban on female non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers. The findings provide timely insight on the perceptions of women accessing aid without the availability of female aid workers. Understanding gender-related access barriers and community recommendations can help aid actors to better reach women and girls with vital assistance.​

 

 

Main findings: Perspectives from community members in Afghanistan​

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• Over half the people we spoke to find it difficult to access aid because distribution sites are too far away or difficult to reach, and they do not receive information in a clear and suitable way.

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• Women struggle to access aid. They feel less informed about what is available; and they don’t trust targeting processes. Women living without a male household member face particular difficulties, because of movement restrictions and the lack of female aid workers. Eighty-three percent of women and 86% of men say that both men and women should have equal access to aid, but only 45% of men and 47% of women say this is the case.

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• Communities expect humanitarian organisations to be sensitive to and aware of normative gender practices. This includes understanding the risks and challenges for women participating in aid, and how agencies can adapt to safeguard and protect women and girls.

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• People expect the most vulnerable people in their community to receive aid, but this is not the case. They say male community leaders, such as elders, Maliks, religious leaders, and shura members are often involved in targeting, but they recommend relatives and friends, so those most in need miss out.

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• Community members want to know how, when, and where humanitarians provide aid and to understand how they spend money in their communities, but they often don’t. Women feel even less consulted about aid than men. They want financial transparency and for aid to be better adapted to their long- term needs. They request work opportunities, training, and infrastructure, while recognising that all aid, including short-term relief, is helpful.

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• People in Afghanistan expect to influence how aid is provided and to inform humanitarian actors of their priority needs. They ask for needs assessments and door-to-door visits, so they can provide input.