“Only a woman can understand another woman.” Perceptions on aid in Afghanistan after the bans on women aid workers

Ground Truth Solutions (GTS) and Salma Consulting, supported by UN Women through the Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) Working Group, spoke to almost 4,000 women and men living in Afghanistan. Two rounds of household surveys and focus group discussions took place in October–December 2022 and February– March 2023. In these conversations, communities’ views on how aid is provided, how gender norms and restrictions affect access to humanitarian assistance, and the extent to which aid takes into account the distinct needs and social norms of women and men in Afghanistan were collected.

A second round of data was collected after the nationwide ban on women nongovernmental organisation (NGO) workers, but just before this ban was extended to Afghan women working for the United Nations. The findings provide timely insight into the perceptions of women accessing aid without the availability of women aid workers. Understanding access barriers for women and what communities think should happen can help humanitarians engage and reach women and girls with vital assistance.