On International Women’s Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan honours the sacrifices, resilience and bravery of female health workers who continue to deliver health services to the Afghan population, including women and girls, in the midst of the challenging country context. 

Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest and most severe humanitarian crises. A record 28.3 million people – some two thirds of the population – will require humanitarian and protection assistance in 2023, with more than 17 million Afghan people in need of health assistance. The highest burden of this health emergency is borne by women and children in Afghanistan, who continue to be marginalized and are increasingly at risk of poor health outcomes, specifically in the context of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health.