International Rescue Committee: Taliban's Restrictions on Women's Work Have Worsened the Crisis Caused by Natural Disasters

On Friday (November 8), the committee stated in a report that climate change, prolonged conflicts, and severe poverty have deeply affected the people of Afghanistan.

The International Rescue Committee adds in the report that its research division, in collaboration with farmers and local partners in Afghanistan and Somalia, has initiated "human-centered" research as the first step in developing and testing solutions to reduce natural disaster risks. This research aims to integrate local, indigenous, and traditional knowledge (LITK) with modern technologies to find comprehensive and practical solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate crises and conflicts.

The report notes that after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the economic crisis caused by natural disasters has worsened in the country. Additionally, the El Niño conditions (a critical state caused by natural events) in 2023-2024 have led to reduced rainfall and resulted in the third consecutive year of drought in Afghanistan.

According to the report, consecutive droughts in the past three decades have had the greatest impact on Afghanistan’s agricultural sector, significantly increasing food insecurity in the country. The International Rescue Committee stresses that despite international efforts to address climate change, the risks related to these changes remain a serious challenge at local, national, and global levels due to several interconnected factors.

The report also highlights the lack of effective solutions at the national level, which is a key factor in increasing the risks posed by natural disasters in Afghanistan. Additionally, inadequate coordination between international partners and climate conditions to address climate change-related risks are also cited as challenges.

The International Rescue Committee’s report emphasizes that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s activities in humanitarian organizations have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis caused by natural disasters in Afghanistan.

It is worth noting that Afghanistan is one of the countries most affected by climate change. Last year, natural events, along with casualties, caused significant financial damage to the citizens of the country. The International Rescue Committee had previously stated that the recent floods in Afghanistan have created a major humanitarian emergency.