Women | OCHA's spokesperson says continued restrictions on women could cost Afghanistan 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 female health workers by 2030

ACW | October 21, 2026 — The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that continued Taliban restrictions on women could leave Afghanistan short of 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 female health workers by 2030.

According to Amu TV, OCHA spokesperson Olga Cherevko cited UNICEF projections on Tuesday, October 20, after visiting southern and northeastern Afghanistan. She said the restrictions could further undermine efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition.

Cherevko linked women's access to health care, education and work directly to nutrition, especially maternal health and children's diets. She called for more opportunities for women in economic life.

She said nearly 16 million people in Afghanistan face crisis-level hunger, including 3.4 million in emergency conditions. "A harvest can improve, markets can have food, but families can still go hungry," she said.

According to AFP, OCHA projects that the number will rise to 19.2 million during the winter lean season from November 2026 to April 2027. "We must act before winter, not after families have exhausted all the options," Cherevko said.

AFP reported that more than four million children under six will need treatment for acute malnutrition next year, and that about a third of nutrition sites have closed or suspended services, largely because of funding cuts. The Taliban have not yet responded to the warning.

Background: Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have barred girls from school beyond sixth grade and women from university. According to AFP, the UN had received less than 30 percent of the funding it needs for Afghanistan as of late August.

Why it matters: According to OCHA's spokesperson, excluding women from education and work does not stop at women's rights: it directly affects maternal health and child nutrition. The agency says a shortage of thousands of female teachers and health workers would further narrow women's and girls' access to education and care.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Amu TV — UN agency: Food available but out of reach for millions of Afghans; Arab News (AFP) — UN says 19.2 mn Afghans facing acute food insecurity by April

Photo: Amu TV