Afghan Women Face Growing Crisis as Funding Cuts Close Clinics

Five years after the Taliban returned to power, Afghanistan remains in one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. 21.9 million people—nearly half the population—still require assistance, yet the humanitarian response plan is only about a quarter funded. Between April and September 2026, roughly 13.8 million people are projected to experience acute food insecurity, and 3.7 million children under five and 1.2 million pregnant or breastfeeding women are expected to suffer acute malnutrition. Funding shortfalls have forced the international aid organisation CARE to shut 30 of its clinics this year, and the World Health Organization reports that about 150 health facilities across the country have suspended operations or closed since January. The loss of services is especially damaging for women and girls, who already face limited access to education, employment, and healthcare. Maternal mortality remains alarmingly high, at 638 deaths per 100,000 live births—the highest rate in Asia. CARE, which has operated in Afghanistan since 1961, continues to partner with local civil society to deliver primary healthcare, maternal and newborn care, nutrition, mental‑health support, food security, livelihoods, and education. In 2025 the organisation reached about 1.2 million people, 67 % of whom were women or girls, and it currently supports 32 health facilities in five provinces. The organisation stresses that sustained investment in inclusive services and protection for female staff is essential to reach the more than 10 million women and girls who need aid. Without such support, communities will remain trapped in a cycle of survival, unable to build resilience or secure a dignified future.