A new survey reveals that 75 per cent of humanitarian organisations in Afghanistan are complying with Taliban gender restrictions to sustain operations and retain female staff amid severe funding cuts.

Humanitarian organisations in Afghanistan are facing an unprecedented squeeze as Taliban-imposed restrictions on women combine with sharp declines in international funding, according to a comprehensive new survey released on July 15, 2026. The findings highlight a deteriorating operating environment where aid groups are increasingly forced to adapt to stringent gender segregation rules simply to keep delivering life-saving assistance to millions in need.

Conducted by the Gender Coordination Group and the Humanitarian Access Working Group, the survey polled 122 organisations active across all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Respondents included 102 Afghan NGOs, 14 international NGOs, and six UN agencies. The data paints a stark picture of compromise: while many groups continue efforts to employ women, they do so under conditions that limit female staff mobility and participation.

Widespread Acceptance of Taliban Conditions

Seventy-five per cent of the surveyed organisations reported accepting Taliban conditions – including gender segregation, requirements for male guardians (mahram), and restrictions on where women can work – in order to maintain female employment and continue operations. This marks a pragmatic but troubling adaptation to the reality on the ground.

Forty-five per cent of organisations said they continue to operate fully with mixed-gender teams, but 28 per cent function only partially with such teams, and 14 per cent now rely mostly or entirely on male staff. The most common restriction cited was the mahram requirement, affecting 61 per cent of organisations – an eight-percentage-point increase from the previous survey. Women aid workers now frequently need male escorts for travel that was once independent.

Nearly half (49 per cent) reported growing anxiety among female staff due to movement restrictions and dress codes. Additional barriers include women being barred from offices in certain provinces (46 per cent), prohibited from field missions (39 per cent), or restricted from community awareness activities (30 per cent). These limitations severely hamper organisations’ ability to reach women and girl beneficiaries, who form a critical portion of those in need.

Regional Hotspots and Taliban Interference

Restrictions are most pronounced in specific provinces. Herat led with 36 per cent of organisations reporting access challenges for women, followed by Kabul (31 per cent), Nangarhar (22 per cent), Kandahar (20 per cent), and Kunar (17 per cent). Taliban officials from the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice have increasingly stopped female staff en route to or from work (28 per cent of cases) and conducted office inspections to enforce compliance (25 per cent).

Twenty-eight per cent of groups noted new restrictions disrupting project registration and implementation, while 29 per cent experienced interference by local Taliban authorities outside formal coordination channels. Fifteen per cent reported suspensions of women-delivered services in women-only spaces. Administrative hurdles are also rising: 38 per cent face difficulties securing work permits for women, and projects with “women” in the title or employing female staff encounter registration obstacles.

Funding Crisis Compounds Gender Barriers

The Taliban’s policies do not exist in isolation. Shrinking donor support has forced painful choices. Fifty-four per cent of organisations laid off Afghan staff due to funding cuts, 46 per cent ended projects, and 44 per cent reduced salaries or could no longer cover extra costs for female staff, such as transportation for mahram accompaniment.

Eighty-three per cent reported that funding shortfalls have directly impacted staffing, project delivery, or support for women and girls. Women-led organisations have been hit hardest, with only 35 per cent securing new funding since December 2025 – a notable decline. Twelve per cent of groups saw women resign due to restrictions, and 13 per cent laid off female staff explicitly because of them.

In response, aid agencies have implemented adaptations: 68 per cent established separate workspaces for men and women, 65 per cent provide transportation or financial support for mahram requirements, and 58 per cent limit women to field assignments rather than office roles. The share of women working from home rose slightly to 16 per cent, while more now commute directly to field sites (66 per cent, up from 36 per cent previously).

Broader Humanitarian and Human Rights Context

The survey arrives amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Approximately 21.9 million people (nearly half the population) require assistance in 2026, exacerbated by economic collapse, returns of displaced Afghans, drought, and recent natural disasters. Taliban decrees since their 2021 takeover have systematically restricted women’s access to education beyond primary levels in many areas, employment with NGOs and UN agencies, and freedom of movement, compounding vulnerabilities for women and girls who make up a significant share of those needing aid.

International observers, including UN human rights bodies, have described the situation as a “graveyard for human rights,” with discriminatory policies limiting women’s participation in public life, healthcare, and humanitarian response. Calls for the Taliban to reverse these measures and for donors to sustain funding have grown louder, yet the operating space continues to shrink.

Organisations also rely on community leaders for negotiations (57 per cent), highlighting localised efforts to maintain access despite top-down restrictions. However, the overall trend points to reduced reach: 48 per cent of respondents said restrictions have diminished their ability to assist women and girls.

Long-Term Implications and Warnings

Aid leaders warn that the dual pressures of Taliban controls and funding shortages threaten the sustainability of humanitarian efforts. While adaptations allow some continuity, they risk entrenching gender inequalities and limiting the effectiveness of programmes targeting the most vulnerable. Female staff play essential roles in reaching women beneficiaries, particularly in culturally sensitive areas like health, psychosocial support, and education.

The report underscores the need for sustained international engagement, flexible funding mechanisms that account for additional costs of operating under restrictions, and diplomatic pressure on the Taliban to ease barriers. Without such measures, the ability of humanitarian organisations to support Afghan women and girls – and by extension, broader stability – will erode further.

As one of the world’s largest humanitarian responses grapples with these challenges, the survey serves as a critical alert: compromise may preserve short-term operations, but long-term solutions require addressing root causes of both access restrictions and funding gaps. Afghanistan’s women and girls, already bearing the brunt of the crisis, stand to lose the most if current trends persist.