Perceptions of aid in Afghanistan after the bans on women aid workers

GTS AFG round two report

Ground Truth Solutions (GTS) and Salma Consulting, supported by UN Women through the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Working Group, spoke to almost 4,000 women and men living in Afghanistan. Two rounds of household surveys and focus group discussions took place in October–December 2022 and February– March 2023. In these conversations, we collected communities’ views on how aid is provided, how gender norms and restrictions affect access to humanitarian assistance, and the extent to which aid takes into account the distinct needs and social norms of women and men in Afghanistan.

We collected our second round of data after the nationwide ban on women non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers, but just before this ban was extended to Afghan women working for the United Nations. The findings provide timely insight into the perceptions of women accessing aid without the availability of women aid workers. Understanding access barriers for women and what communities think should happen can help humanitarians engage and reach women and girls with vital assistance.