Afghanistan's Long Road To Recovery: Assessing The Nation's Progress

Afghanistan has been in the news for the wrong reasons for quite some time now. The country has been ravaged by war, violence, and human rights abuses. The Taliban's return to power has been a significant cause for concern for the international community. The country is facing a humanitarian crisis, with millions of Afghans facing conflict and displacement. The economy has collapsed, and the country is facing a severe drought. The situation has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, there are some signs of hope. Afghanistan has one of the youngest populations in the world, with approximately 67% of the population under the age of 25. Infant mortality has decreased, and life expectancy has increased. Access to toilets and clean water has improved significantly. The country has also made strides in education and literacy, with the number of children in school increasing from 0.9 million in 2001 to 9.2 million in 2017. The healthcare system has also improved, with more functioning healthcare facilities and an increase in the number of female health staff.

The country is in the grip of a humanitarian crisis, with millions of Afghans facing conflict and displacement

Afghanistan is in the grip of a complex humanitarian crisis, with millions of Afghans facing conflict and displacement. The crisis is the result of decades of conflict, poverty, repeated disasters, and an economic downturn.

Since the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, the political transition, economic contraction, and reduced donor funding have exacerbated the crisis. The Taliban's restrictions have particularly impacted women and girls, limiting their access to services and their ability to participate in life outside the home.

As of 2024, more than half of Afghanistan's population requires humanitarian assistance. Key priorities include food aid, safe drinking water, healthcare, and education. Protection of vulnerable groups, especially children, women-headed households, and those living with disabilities, is also paramount.

The crisis in Afghanistan has been characterised by limited funding, with the country being vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events. The country is prone to earthquakes, flooding, and drought, which have further impacted the humanitarian situation.

The ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis have resulted in widespread displacement, with millions of Afghans forced to flee their homes or leave the country. As of 2023, almost 6 million Afghans have been internally displaced or have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.

The economy has collapsed, with 25 million Afghans pushed into poverty

Afghanistan's economy has been in a state of collapse since the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. The country's economy was heavily reliant on foreign aid, which was cut off after the Taliban takeover. This has resulted in a massive liquidity crisis and a shortage of banknotes, causing the economy to contract by 20.7% in 2021 and a further 6.2% in 2022. The proportion of households that did not have enough income to meet basic food needs more than doubled from 16% to 36% during this period.

The economic collapse has had a devastating impact on the Afghan people, with 28.8 million people currently in urgent need of support. Food insecurity remains the greatest threat, with 40% of the country's population facing acute food insecurity—the fourth-highest figure in the world. Children are at particularly high risk of starvation, malnutrition, and hunger.

The economic crisis has also disproportionately affected women and girls, who already faced greater obstacles to obtaining food, healthcare, and financial resources. Taliban policies have barred women from most paid jobs, and girls have been deprived of their right to education with the closure of most girls' secondary schools.

The World Bank has provided over $1.7 billion in support to the Afghan people since August 2021. However, the future of Afghanistan's economy remains uncertain, with the threat of stagnation looming large until at least 2025.

The climate crisis is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, with natural disasters hitting communities already devastated by conflict

Afghanistan's climate crisis is exacerbating the country's humanitarian crisis, with natural disasters hitting communities already devastated by conflict.

Afghanistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing little to global CO2 emissions. Climate change is driving increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters that are hitting communities already devastated by conflict.

Even before the Taliban's return to power, a severe drought had withered crops and reduced groundwater levels. The drought continued into 2022 and was accompanied by a heatwave so intense it led to multiple wildfires in the country's east. Then came unseasonably heavy summer downpours and flash flooding in many parts of Afghanistan that submerged villages and damaged houses, roads and farmlands.

More than 1.5 million Afghans have been displaced by such disasters, in addition to the 3.5 million displaced by conflict.

The climate crisis is a human crisis. It is driving displacement and makes life harder for those already forced to flee.

According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Afghanistan is on the brink of a starvation crisis, with more than half its population — some 22.8 million people — projected to face acute food insecurity this winter.

The combination of a prolonged drought, soaring food prices and job losses have pushed around 25 million Afghans into poverty, with more than half the population now reliant on humanitarian aid to survive.

Women and girls' rights have been severely restricted, with most secondary schools for girls remaining closed and many women losing their jobs

Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women's rights have been severely restricted. The Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law has resulted in women being banned from most sectors of employment and barred from attending secondary school and university. The impact of these restrictions has been devastating for women and girls, as well as the country's economy and future.

Before the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan already struggled with a high number of children out of school, with an estimated 3.7 million children not receiving an education—60% of whom were girls. Since then, the Taliban regime has banned an additional 1,254,473 Afghan girls from attending secondary school. The ban on girls' education has caused them to lose out on opportunities and dreams, with potentially devastating consequences for their families and the country's future.

The Taliban's restrictions on women's employment have resulted in a steep decline in female employment levels. In the third quarter of 2021, female employment levels fell by an estimated 16% relative to a 6% decline for men. By mid-2022, female employment was expected to be 21% lower than before the Taliban takeover. The loss of female employment has pushed many families deeper into poverty and has had a negative impact on the country's economy.

The Taliban's justifications for these restrictions often centre around the notion of a safe environment and their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture. However, these restrictions have effectively erased women and girls from public life and reversed hard-won gains in women's rights over the last two decades.

The impact of the Taliban's policies extends beyond education and employment. Women and girls in Afghanistan now face severe restrictions on their movement and are required to adhere to restrictive dress codes. They are banned from travelling long distances without a male chaperone and are increasingly being denied access to essential services if they are unaccompanied. Additionally, women-only spaces such as beauty salons have been ordered to shut down.

The situation for women and girls in Afghanistan is dire, with their rights to education, employment, and freedom of movement being severely curtailed. The international community has linked its recognition of the Taliban government to respect for women's and minority rights. However, despite assurances from the Taliban, severe restrictions remain in place, hindering the country's progress and causing untold harm to women and girls.

Humanitarian organisations trying to relieve suffering in Afghanistan lack sufficient funds

Afghanistan is facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The situation is fuelled by economic instability, with over 90% of the country's population living below the poverty line.

Humanitarian organisations are facing new challenges since the withdrawal of international troops and the Taliban takeover in 2021. Despite this, donors and humanitarian organisations continue to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable people in Afghanistan.

The United Nations sought US$4.4 billion to fund its overall humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan this year but has so far only received about 41% of that figure, leaving a critical gap of more than $2.4 billion.

The UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, remains focused on supporting millions of Afghans facing conflict and displacement. However, international organisations, including the UN, need more funding to alleviate the suffering there.

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