Women | Kabul Now reports OCHA says about 90% of aid groups struggled to serve women and girls in western Afghanistan; the figures are not yet confirmed by other sources

ACW | October 26, 2026 — Kabul Now reported on Saturday (October 24, 2026), citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), that Taliban restrictions are hampering women's and girls' access to aid in western Afghanistan. The report has not yet been confirmed by other sources.

According to Kabul Now, OCHA's latest humanitarian access snapshot says about 90% of aid organisations in a September survey had difficulty providing services to women and girls in the west.

OCHA said new Taliban restrictions since March 1, 2026 closed, suspended, reduced or blocked 26 of 139 assessed projects, about 19%. Partners reported 30 access incidents in September, 27% fewer than in August; OCHA warned this does not necessarily mean access improved because incidents are under-reported. Eighteen of the 30 were interference.

The west recorded the most incidents, 14 (47%). OCHA attributed this to interference by the de facto authorities, especially gender-related restrictions, including more frequent visits by Taliban Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice officials to aid offices and project sites.

Why it matters: Limits on aid work affect women's and girls' access to services, and OCHA says its figures may understate the problem. Kabul Now's report includes no Taliban response.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Source: Kabul Now — UN Says Taliban Restrictions Hamper Women's Access to Aid in Western Afghanistan

Photo: Kabul Now