OCHA: Aid Delivery in Afghanistan Requires Women’s Participation
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says delivering aid to millions of people in need in Afghanistan requires sustained funding, humanitarian access and the meaningful participation of women in the aid response.
OCHA said in a post on X on Sunday (4 October) that Amy Martin, the head of its office in Afghanistan, attended a photography exhibition on Afghanistan at the European Parliament last month, where she stressed the need for continued support for the humanitarian response in the country.
According to OCHA, Martin emphasised at the event that sustained funding and humanitarian access alone are not enough to reach people in need, and that women must also participate meaningfully in the humanitarian response.
The remarks come as Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. According to OCHA figures, around 21.9 million people in Afghanistan need humanitarian assistance in 2026.
OCHA has previously said that restrictions on women working in the humanitarian sector affect both access to assistance and the quality of the response, while aid organisations are working to maintain the participation of female staff.
