In recent years, the mental health of Afghan women and girls has significantly deteriorated, caused in part by deepening restrictions on their rights, including bans on their education, employment and movement, as well as conflict, disasters and immensely challenging humanitarian crises.

A sobering 82% of Afghan women have reported worsening feelings of anxiety, isolation and depression this year, a figure only set to worsen as women become increasingly restricted from public life.

To ensure women most at risk of mental ill health receive the social support they require, one of our most recent projects has focused on broadening the horizons of Afghan women, whilst also providing them with the resources they need to protect their mental wellbeing in times of extreme stress and anxiety.

Mental health support for those who need it most

In one of Afghanistan’s most remote regions, where life for women has always been challenging, a total of 220 women have recently undertaken mental health training and psychosocial support classes, to ensure they possess the knowledge and tools they need to care for themselves and one another. This training included: 

• Psychosocial First Aid: to spot the warning signs of mental ill health in women around them and offer necessary support;

• Psychoeducation about mental health and psychosocial problems, as well as information about the relationship between body and mind and their influence on each other;

• Self-care and stress management techniques, including exercises such as breathing, imagination and physical-psychological relaxation exercises;

• Establishing peer-to-peer support groups for women and girls.

Cultural and community connection

In recent years, Afghan women have been increasingly restricted from engaging in social and cultural activities, with many spaces once dedicated to their recreation and relaxation now closed. They are no longer allowed to visit national or public parks, gyms, salons, or parlours, limiting their opportunities to find relaxation or engage in recreational activities.

Ensuring women across Afghanistan still have the possibility to meaningfully participate in community life is vital to safeguarding their wellbeing, and this also formed a crucial part of developing this programme. This is why Afghanaid, with support from the local community, continues to form and support women's circles known as Self-Help Groups, improving women's financial and mental wellbeing through an established network of 10-20 other women, who they can rely on for advice and sisterhood. These have been crucial for ensuring they can stay resilient through these tough times:

Even in terms of mental health, we can stay away from depression because we can talk with each other and share problems with each other... We want to reduce our problems and help each other.

- Rezia*, member of a Self-Help Group

Supporting women to meet their basic needs

As well as delivering these crucial avenues to improve Afghan women's mental and emotional wellbeing, we also recognise the importance of ensuring they can meet their pressing physical needs, most importantly, ensuring regular access to nutritious food and clean water. 

Women enrolled upon this project also received kitchen garden vegetable seeds and training in home gardening, to support them to start a kitchen garden. Kitchen gardens enable women to tackle food insecurity within their family and community, improving access to nutritious food, whilst also supporting women to learn new skills and increase their status in the home. In total, this project directly supported 2200 women through kitchen garden activities, training, and water and hygiene and sanitation programming.

Within the community, our teams constructed and rehabilitated 24 water systems, including 13 water reservoirs, four canals, and three solar powered pumps, which were then able to be utilised by the community, meaning they had access to safe drinking water. 

Across five schools, our Women and Water project saw over 3600 girls and boys benefit from newly built water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, which include 10 hand washing stations, five water reservoirs and five latrines, in addition provision of hygiene and sanitation training to these students. With many schools only having toilet provisions for boys, these facilities enable young girls to stay in school for as long as possible, ensuring they have increased educational opportunity and improved mental wellbeing. 

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How can you make a difference?

Women across Afghanistan are living through a protracted, compounded crisis. They need sustained support to address the challenges they face, and to ensure they can remain healthy. By delivering multi-layered support to women and their families, we can assist them to recover from crises, safeguard their wellbeing and lift themselves out of poverty. You can support this mission by joining our regular giving community.