Stand with Women as a Sister Supporter
When you join the Stand With Her program, you will help your sister learn skills that can change her life.
Afghanistan Test Page
Women for Women International began operating in Afghanistan in 2002, following the U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan. Since then, we have been training Afghan women to know and defend their rights, lead mentally and physically healthy lives, and to develop economic self-sufficiency.
The de facto government initially assumed control over Afghanistan in 1996, after the assassination of then-President Mohammad Najbullah. Progressing human and civil rights once enjoyed by Afghan women before the takeover were diminished by strict dress codes and denied educational and economic opportunities.
Around five years later, the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan by the United States military began 20 years of progress for gender equality. However, women’s rights became compromised once more after the withdrawal of U.S. troops in August of 2021, spurring the fall of the country’s capital, Kabul and the return of the de facto forces.
"It was impossible to please the Taliban. They created trouble just to keep us scared all the time."
Aaila, SWSN Afghanistan Program Participant
In modern Afghanistan, the social and economic outlook for Afghan women is worsened; a report by Amnesty International details how women are subjected to domestic violence, early and forced marriage, and abduction following the breakdown of their freedoms and protections, with no accountability for their perpetrators. Women are also imprisoned and beaten for accusations of “moral corruption.”
The exit of foreign troops and the rise of the de facto government has weakened the country’s economy. The combination of severe droughts, the demise of government services and the withdrawal of foreign aid services has also left over 70 per cent of Afghans struggling to feed their families and purchase daily necessities.
Our Solution
Women for Women International began operating in Afghanistan in 2002, following the U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan. Since then, we have been training Afghan women to know and defend their rights, lead mentally and physically healthy lives, and to develop economic self-sufficiency. Through our programming, they are changing their lives as we guide them through becoming involved in decision-making in their homes and communities, and opportunities for earning income while investing in their savings.
International sanctions against the de facto government pushed the country to the brink of economic collapse, which required our team to adapt and implement resources to address widespread food insecurity and hunger. Our response included supplying garden and poultry kits to our participants, enabling them to receive an income through farming and harvesting crops.
The Impact
Since 2002, we have reached more than 127,000 women located in five provinces of Afghanistan. Women were nearly twice as likely to be earning money and seven times more likely to have savings. They also experienced increased food security for their families, increased freedom to travel and more decision making power in their households.
As a pilot of our Men’s Engagement Program in Afghanistan, our local team has trained 6,700 men understand women’s rights and become allies since 2014. Due to currently political restrictions, we have temporarily paused this program.