UN Women has said that, following cuts to foreign aid to Afghanistan, women-led organizations and organizations defending women’s rights in the country have faced severe funding shortfalls, with 82 percent at risk of closure. In a newly released report, the organization said a survey of 74 women’s organizations conducted in April 2026 found that they had faced funding cuts since 2025. The report, titled “The Impact of Aid Cuts on Women-Led Organizations and Women’s Rights Organizations,” shows that reductions in foreign aid have restricted these organizations’ activities and increased the risk that some will close. According to the report, 61 organizations—82 percent of those surveyed—said they were at risk of closure. In the survey, organization representatives described how funding cuts had affected their work since January 2025. The report found that 72 percent of the organizations surveyed experienced budget cuts in 2025. In addition, 49 organizations—66 percent of respondents—said their financial situation in 2026 had become “worse” or “critical” compared with the previous year. Of the 74 organizations surveyed, UN Women found that one had closed permanently. Another 40 organizations—54 percent—said they could suspend their activities or close altogether in the next 12 months. UN Women said budget cuts had also affected women’s organizations’ and women’s rights organizations’ “ability and capacity to provide services” in Afghanistan. The report said 77 percent of respondents reported that their capacity to meet the needs of women and girls was “below the level required,” while 83 percent said the need for assistance among women and girls had “increased” compared with previous years. According to the report, 62 percent of the organizations surveyed are now reaching fewer women and girls than they did before January 2025. In addition, 54 percent said that, because of limited capacity, they had been forced to put women and girls on “waiting lists” or turn them away. This situation has emerged since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, when he cut all US foreign aid, particularly humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

The Embassy of Spain in the United Kingdom has once again reaffirmed its support for the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. In a post published on its X account, the embassy said that, under the current circumstances, it is more important than ever to support their rights and advocate for them. “Now more than ever, we must fight for the rights of Afghan women and girls,” the embassy added. It stressed that, in a world full of challenges, Afghan women and girls must not be forgotten. “They should inspire us all to work towards building a better world,” the post said. For the past five years, women and girls have faced sweeping restrictions on their access to education and work, as well as their participation in social and public life. These restrictions have repeatedly been condemned by international organizations and a number of countries.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Women have announced a joint investment of $1.7 million to support women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan. In a statement, the organizations said the initiative, titled the Afghanistan Women’s Resilience Enterprise Fund (AWFRE), will support around 1,500 women entrepreneurs over the next year. The statement said the initiative is expected to indirectly benefit more than 14,000 people by strengthening businesses and increasing household incomes. UNDP said the fund will provide Sharia-compliant financing without requiring collateral, along with financial and digital literacy training, mentoring, business planning support, and help accessing markets. Under the initiative, more than 10,000 women in Afghanistan currently hold business licenses—a figure that has increased tenfold over the past five years. The two organizations are also seeking to raise an additional $10 million to expand the program. If the funding is secured, around 10,000 more women entrepreneurs will receive financing and business support. Since taking control of Afghanistan, the de facto authorities have barred women and girls from education. Most recently, they closed medical institutes to women and girls, even as the country’s health sector faces a shortage of personnel. These measures have left millions of girls unable to continue their education. Women have also been prohibited from going to gyms, restaurants, and public bathhouses; being examined by male doctors; traveling without a male guardian; and working for domestic and international nongovernmental organizations or even United Nations offices in Afghanistan.

A commemoration marking the September 25 anniversary of the genocide of Hazaras under Afghanistan’s former king, Abdur Rahman Khan, was held with the participation of several members of parliament and officials from Spain’s Catalonia region. The event was organized by Hazara community representatives and activists at the Albarda Cultural Center in Catalonia. Sara Javerita Guener, vice-chair of the Socialists and Allies for Progress parliamentary group, said the Socialist Party would pursue recognition of the Hazara genocide through its representatives in the Parliament of Catalonia, the European Parliament, and Spain’s Congress of Deputies. Representatives of the Hazara community from Spain and several other European countries held separate meetings with Raquel Sans Guerra, first vice-president of the Parliament of Catalonia, and Juli Fernández Olivares, a representative of the Republican Left of Catalonia group. They discussed the historical and current situation of Hazaras, ethnic and religious discrimination, the situation of women and girls, attacks on civilians, education, land seizures, and the forced displacement of Hazaras. The representatives called for the situation of Hazaras in Afghanistan to be considered within the context of a long history of violence, discrimination, and exclusion. They also urged recognition of the Hazara genocide and called on the international community to take steps to prevent attacks against Hazaras. The first vice-president of the Parliament of Catalonia expressed concern over the human rights situation and the treatment of Hazaras in Afghanistan. She said she would review and pursue the community’s demands within the parliament’s remit. She also spoke about efforts to raise the issue of Hazaras at the European level and to address the Hazara genocide there, adding that details of these measures would become clear as follow-up work progressed. Hazara activists mark September 25 each year as the anniversary of the genocide of Hazaras under Afghanistan’s former king, Abdur Rahman Khan.

A study on Afghan women’s and girls’ efforts and motivation to learn despite the absence of educational pathways has received the Academy of Management’s 2026 Carolyn B. Dexter Award for Best International Paper. The study was co-authored by several researchers, including Haseena Jalal. Titled “When All Hope Seems Lost: Sustaining Learning Motivation in the Absence of Educational Pathways,” the study examines how people maintain their motivation to learn when formal routes to education are unavailable. In a post on her X account, Jalal wrote that the paper was co-authored by David Navarat of the Technical University of Munich, Forouzan Danesh of the University of Toronto, and Jalal of the University of Pittsburgh. It was nominated in the Academy of Management’s Management Education and Development Division. Jalal, one of the study’s researchers, said receiving the award meant more to her than an academic honor. She emphasized that, at a time when girls and women in Afghanistan face restrictions on access to education, international recognition for research into their efforts and resilience carries particular significance. Jalal expressed hope that the paper would amplify the voices of Afghan women and girls and show that being denied an education does not extinguish their aspirations or their capacity to learn. She dedicated the recognition to women and girls in Afghanistan, especially those whose experiences and stories informed the research.

Claudia Fuentes Julio, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, has said that lasting peace in Afghanistan cannot be achieved without the participation of women and girls. She made the remarks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly during a meeting with Nasir Ahmad Faiq, acting head of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, and a number of women’s rights activists. The meeting highlighted the importance of women’s participation in education and society, as well as in decisions about Afghanistan’s future. Fuentes Julio stressed that no society can achieve lasting stability, prosperity or justice while half its population is denied education, participation and a role in decision-making. Participants also emphasized that women’s voices, leadership and rights in Afghanistan must be at the heart of discussions about the country’s future. They said women’s meaningful participation is essential to lasting peace, social cohesion and long-term development. During the meeting, Afghan women’s rights activist Maqdasa Ahmadzai said: “We firmly believe that no society can achieve lasting stability, prosperity or justice while half its population is denied education, participation and decision-making.” She added that the voices, leadership and rights of Afghan women must remain central to all discussions about the country’s future. According to Ahmadzai, women’s meaningful participation is not only a human rights issue; it is also essential to achieving lasting peace, social cohesion and long-term development. Since returning to power, the de facto authorities have imposed widespread restrictions on women’s education, employment, movement and participation in public life.

UN Women has said that women and girls do not need permission to lead; they need a fair opportunity. In a message posted on its X account the organization said that globally, eight out of every 10 women who stand as candidates in elections face violence. UN Women also emphasized that the costs of participating in elections prevent many women from entering the political arena. The organization called for greater discussion of the importance of women and girls’ leadership and their equal access to power. For the past five years, women in Afghanistan have been excluded from decision-making and politics and pushed to the margins. Since taking control of Afghanistan, the de facto authorities have also barred women and girls from education. In their latest restriction, they closed medical institutes to women and girls, even as Afghanistan’s health sector faces a nationwide shortage of personnel. This has left millions of schoolgirls unable to continue their education. Women have also been barred from going to sports clubs, restaurants and public baths; being examined by male doctors; travelling without a mahram (male guardian); and working for domestic and international NGOs—or even at UN offices in Afghanistan.

Fawzia Koofi, a member of Afghanistan’s House of Representatives under the former republic, says Afghans live with the question of whether Afghanistan failed at democracy, or democracy failed Afghanistan. Koofi made the remarks at a meeting of the International Women’s Peace Group in South Korea. She said that abandoning women in Afghanistan is a test of the international community’s commitment to justice. She went on to stress that women and girls have been excluded from education and employment for the past five years. She said this is because governments fear educated, powerful women. Criticizing the international community, Koofi said Afghanistan’s allies abandoned the country precisely when it needed them most. Koofi added that steps must be taken to ensure women are not sidelined again when political priorities in Afghanistan change. Her remarks come as the de facto authorities have barred women and girls from education since taking control of Afghanistan. In their latest restriction, they closed medical institutes to women and girls, even as Afghanistan’s health sector faces a nationwide shortage of personnel. The current authorities’ actions have left millions of schoolgirls unable to continue their education. Women have also been barred from going to sports clubs, restaurants and public baths; being examined by male doctors; travelling without a mahram (male guardian); and working for domestic and international NGOs or even at UN offices in Afghanistan. According to reports, if the ban continues, nearly four million girls could be deprived of education by 2030.