OCHA, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, has warned that increasing restrictions on women and girls are further limiting their access to vital and life-saving services.
Olga Churko, the head of the OCHA Afghanistan office, stated in a video that Afghanistan currently has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
Expressing deep concern about the current situation, she announced that Afghanistan, with approximately 600 deaths per 100,000 births, has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis has disproportionately affected women and girls.
She emphasized the importance of having female staff in the health system, stating: “There are growing concerns that restrictions on women’s and girls’ participation in public spheres and job opportunities will further limit both humanitarian responses and the ability of women and girls to access and benefit from vital and life-saving services.”
OCHA in Afghanistan referred to a hospital in Bamyan province that has the only neonatal intensive care unit in the region, adding: “In this center, health workers and aid providers, many of whom are women, are doing everything they can to save the lives of mothers and newborns. The sustainability of these services is crucial for saving lives.”
The agency had previously emphasized that investing in the education and employment of female health workers and strengthening primary health services is essential for the immediate reduction of maternal mortality.
It is noteworthy that since the return of the caretaker government to power, extensive restrictions have been imposed on women’s social and professional activities.
UNICEF also warned in April that with the continuation of restrictions, Afghanistan will face a shortage of 25,000 female teachers and healthcare workers by 2030.
These restrictions have not only reduced women’s presence as healthcare workers but have also posed serious challenges to women’s access to essential medical services.
