Afghanistan faces a profound humanitarian and human rights crisis, exacerbated by restrictive Taliban policies and ongoing economic and environmental challenges. Since the Taliban's return to power, Afghan women and girls have been systematically erased from public life. They are banned from secondary education, higher education, and most employment opportunities, including work with NGOs. This leaves women-headed households particularly vulnerable, with higher rates of food insecurity, early marriage, and child labor compared to male-headed households.
The country is also grappling with one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Over 24 million people—more than half the population—depend on humanitarian assistance to survive, and many face acute food insecurity. Contributing factors include entrenched poverty, widespread unemployment, climate-induced drought, and devastating earthquakes that left hundreds of thousands homeless. Many families are resorting to desperate measures to cope, including child labour, selling possessions and, tragically, body parts.
Humanitarian aid efforts are hindered by Taliban-imposed restrictions, particularly the ban on women working for aid organizations, reducing the ability to reach vulnerable populations. Afghanistan’s crisis demands urgent international attention, not only to alleviate suffering but also to protect human rights and foster sustainable recovery.
Afghan men attending wrestling games on a friday afternoon. Other games and leisure activities are available at this huge park in downtown Kabul, but only for boys and men as girls and women are banned from visiting public venues. Since taking over Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have relentlessly restricted women from being part of society by banning education, work and cultural activities. A de facto 'Nowomenland' and apartheid is being established. Chaman Hozori park, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
An Afghan woman wearing the 'Chaador' carrying belongings. Since the Taliban take over of the country, endless restrictions have been placed on women, banning them from education, work, cultural activities and basically the streets where they should be accompagnied by a male guardian. Afghanistan under the Taliban has become a 'no woman's land' and a gender apartheid system. Buina Qara, Balkh province, Afghanistan, September 2024
Hillside homes overlooking the urban Hazara neighbourhood of Kabul with a woman walking up the steep path, Afghanistan, August 2024
Shepherds guide their flocks across arid landscapes, tirelessly seeking patches of grass and water amidst the unforgiving environment and temperatures exceeding 48 celcius. Sulgara Valley, Balkh in northern Afghanistan, September 2024
Children at a playground. Once passed the age of 12, girls and women are forbidden to access parks and public places for leisure. Since taking over Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have relentlessly restricted women from being part of society by banning education, work and cultural activities. A de facto 'No women's land' and gender apartheid is being established. Afghanistan, August 2024
Local villagers passing a Taliban check-point in the Tangi-Shadian Valley. Northern Afghanistan, September 2024
Afghan men attending wrestling games on a friday afternoon. Other games and leisure activities are available at this huge park in downtown Kabul, but only for boys and men as girls and women are banned from visiting public venues. Since taking over Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban have relentlessly restricted women from being part of society by banning education, work and cultural activities. A de facto 'Nowomenland' and apartheid is being established. Chaman Hozori park, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
Friday afternoon leisure with children and male adults playing sports on an open field in the northern city of Kunduz, Afghanistan, September 2024
Children filling potholes along the Salang Pass, the main north-south road traversing the Hindu Kush mountain range. Salang, Baghlan, Afghanistan, September 2024
Friday afternoon wrestling competition at Chaman Hozori, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
Interior of a house in the desert of northern Afghanistan, Hairatan region, Balkh, September 2024
Afghan children walking uphill towards their village. Sulgara Valley, Balkh province, Afghanistan, September 2024
Hazara grieving at a Shia graveyard in Kabul. Sakhi shrine in Kabul, August 2024
Afghan boys eating grapes, Dasht-e-Barchi in the outskirts of Kabul, August 2024
Panoramic view from Wazir Akbar Khan hill of Kabul city, surrounded by mountains. Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
A street scene in Dasht-e-Barchi in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
Shepherds guide their flocks across arid landscapes, tirelessly seeking patches of grass and water amidst the unforgiving environment and temperatures exceeding 48 celcius. Sulgara Valley, Balkh in northern Afghanistan, September 2024
Afghan children playing in a hillside neighbourhood overlooking Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, August 2024
An Afghan shepherd from the Sulgara Valley guiding his sheeps towards water. Chashma-i-Shafa, Balkh, Afghanistan, September 2024
Afghan men supervising the operation of a brick kiln in the Sulgara Valley, Balkh, September 2024
Cattle in the Sulgare Valley in search for water. Balkh in northern Afghanistan, September 2024
Friday afternoon leisure time at Chaman Hozori, Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
Abdul Hamid from the Turkmen minority in northern Afghanistan in a tea shop. Boyni Qara, Sulgara Valley in Balkh, Afghanistan, September 2024
Shepherds guide their flocks across arid landscapes, tirelessly seeking patches of grass and water amidst the unforgiving environment and temperatures exceeding 48 celcius. Sulgara Valley, Balkh in northern Afghanistan, September 2024
Cultivated fields in the outskirts of Balkh city in northern Afghanistan, September 2024
An Afghan woman wearing the 'Chaador' navigating the streets of Balkh. Since the Taliban take over of the country, endless restrictions have been placed on women, banning them from education, work, cultural activities and basically the streets where they should be accompagnied by a male guardian. Afghanistan under the Taliban has become a 'no woman's land' and a gender apartheid system. Balkh city, Afghanistan, September 2024
Brick kiln workers in northern Afghanistan, Balkh, September 2024
Brick kiln workers in charge of keeping the brick oven burning. The outside air temperature around the kiln is well beyond 50 degrees celcius. Balkh, Afghanistan, September 2024
Afghan mud brick hillside village in the Tangi Shadian Valley south of Mazar-i-Sharif in Balkh province. Afghanistan, September 2024
An Afghan boy in a street famous for making traditional bread ovens. Shahre Naow in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 2024
Tangi Shadian Valley in northern Afghanistan near Mazar-i-Sharif, September 2024
Packing silage that will serve as feed for cattle. Tangi Shadian Valley, Balkh, Afghanistan, September 2024
Afghan women wearing the 'Chaador' and their children carrying belongings. Since the Taliban take over of the country, endless restrictions have been placed on women, banning them from education, work, cultural activities and basically the streets where they should be accompagnied by a male guardian. Afghanistan under the Taliban has become a 'no woman's land' and a gender apartheid system. Buina Qara, Balkh province, Afghanistan, September 2024
Part of a new irrigation canal being dug in the northern Afghan desert deviated from the Amu Darya river. When completed this controversial project is likely to reduce the flow of the Amu Darya and jeopardize cotton plantations in Uzbekistan and further dry out the Aral Sea which has been all but already cut off from the Amu Darya river. Hairatan near the border with Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, September 2024
A desert farm operated with solar energy and deep water wells. Hairatan, Balkh, Afghanistan, September 2024
