Statement: Afghan women and girls living with disabilities face urgent and overlooked barriers
UN Women Afghanistan statement for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Date:
Kabul, Afghanistan — On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence – UN Women has highlighted the urgent and often overlooked needs of women and girls living with disabilities in Afghanistan.
While it is difficult to source accurate data, one estimate found that women are 20 per cent more likely than men to report living with a disability, with nearly one in six women experiencing a severe disability.
“Women and girls living with disabilities in Afghanistan face some of the most severe discrimination and the greatest barriers to accessing the support and services they need to live with dignity,” said Susan Ferguson, UN Women Special Representative in Afghanistan.
“Yet, they remain extraordinarily determined – supporting other women, building community, and seizing every opportunity to learn and lead, despite all the odds.”
The numbers of women living with disabilities can be attributed to factors including the increased barriers in accessing healthcare and humanitarian aid; the rising risk of gender-based violence in Afghanistan; and the profound psychological impact of restrictions on their rights.
While nearly half the population of Afghanistan needed humanitarian assistance in 2025, many women and girls with disabilities struggle to reach humanitarian distribution sites.
Further, the severe limitations on women’s mobility and access to education, employment and public life has triggered an acute mental health crisis among women and girls. In a survey of more than 2,000 women this year, three-quarters described their mental health as ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’.
Today, UN Women calls for:
- More urgent investment in support and services for Afghan women and girls living with disabilities;
- More Afghan women humanitarians to provide culturally-appropriate support in local communities; and
- Strengthened capacity of humanitarian service providers to meet the needs of women and girls with disabilities.