Abstract

The Taliban's ban on women aid workers in Afghanistan has severely impacted healthcare service delivery, particularly for women and children. The closure of women-led local NGOs and international NGOs with a significant female workforce has created a gap in essential services like maternal and child health. The ban has also led to a reduction in female healthcare workers, further limiting access to care. The situation underscores the importance of women-led NGOs and the need for a power shift and re-imagination of the role of INGOs in Afghanistan to ensure the sustained delivery of essential services in crises.