Health Challenges After a Ban on Women Working in Non-governmental Organizations in Afghanistan

Hosain Barati; Mirwais Ramozi; Sayed H Mousavi; Yudai Kaneda; Akihiko Ozaki

doi:10.7759/cureus.41137

Health Challenges After a Ban on Women Working in Non-governmental Organizations in Afghanistan

Cureus. 2023 Jun 29;15(6):e41137. doi: 10.7759/cureus.41137. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Authors

Hosain Barati¹, Mirwais Ramozi¹, Sayed H Mousavi¹, Yudai Kaneda², Akihiko Ozaki³

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, Kateb University, Kabul, AFG.
² School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, JPN.
³ Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Jyoban Hospital of Tokiwa Foundation, Iwaki, JPN.

Abstract

The Taliban's prohibition of women working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has severely impacted essential health services in Afghanistan since its enactment in late 2022. This ban has led to the suspension of numerous health and nutrition teams, reduced counseling services, and closure of safe spaces for women and girls. The significant contribution of women in the healthcare sector is evidenced by their presence in various NGOs, with their absence causing a critical shortage of female health personnel. This has further exacerbated the hunger crisis in Afghanistan, putting millions at risk. The international community urgently needs to address this issue to protect human rights and safeguard the well-being of the affected population.

Keywords: afghanistan; global healthcare systems; ngos; non-governmental organizations; taliban; women's rights.

Publication types

Editorial

Grants and funding

Dr. Ozaki reported personal fees from Medical Network Systems Inc. and Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd. outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.