Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) reported that women’s health in Afghanistan has significantly deteriorated in recent years due to funding cuts, restrictions on female education, and limited access to medical services, particularly in rural areas.

According to the report, clinics in remote areas have closed, female health professionals are in short supply, and many families cannot afford transportation to health facilities.

AAN said the Taliban in 2024 effectively halted the training of new female health workers, including midwives and nurses, after previously banning women from universities in 2022.

The report highlighted that Afghanistan already has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates. The World Bank estimated in 2023 that 521 women die per 100,000 live births, while the World Health Organization said the figure rose to 620 in 2025.

Funding cuts have further strained the health sector. After the United States reduced aid in 2025, more than 400 health facilities were closed, according to WHO data.