Poverty is deeply entrenched in Afghanistan. This can be attributed in part to the country’s physical isolation, rugged terrain and often harsh climate; to underlying cultural norms, especially with regard to the rights of women; and to its recurring history of conflict, insecurity and outside interference.
Afghanistan’s poverty profile is further shaped by marked disparities between rural and urban areas, sustained population growth, extremely low levels of female participation in the work force, and the overwhelming prevalence of vulnerable forms of employment in informal and low-productivity jobs.
Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous and most violent, crisis-ridden countries in the world. There is persistent deepening and geographic spread of conflict. There are also regular violations of International Law and Human Rights. The security situation in Afghanistan continued to deteriorate in August 2021 when the country experienced a change in power and many feared that hard-won development gains, particularly for women and girls, would disappear.
CARE (a French NGO that worked in 109 countries, reaching 167 million people through more than 1,600 projects, resuming activities in Afghanistan in 1989 from a new base in Peshawar, Pakistan, to try to give assistance to Afghanistan from across the border until 2002 when it shifted its main office back to Kabul) has developed three programs:
– Women’s & girls’ empowerment
– Enhanced resilience
– Humanitarian action
Each program sets out to contribute to significant and lasting change for socially and economically vulnerable women and girls who are lacking access to essential services. These programs focus largely on Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health, Food Security and Livelihoods, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Inclusive Governance, Education and Emergency Response.
On the cover photo, screenshot of the homepage of the French NGO CARE’s website on their action in Afghanistan
FND
