Afghanistan: The exclusion of women from work will exacerbate the economic crisis in the country

The exclusion of Afghan women from work will further exacerbate the “catastrophic” economic crisis in which the country sank after the Taliban seized power in August, the United Nations warned in a report released today.

The economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is “deteriorating” and “must be addressed in order to save lives” threatened by poverty and hunger, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) said in its report on Afghanistan’s Socio-Economic Outlook for Afghanistan. 2021-2022 “.

Even before the Taliban seized power, the economy of Asia’s poorest country was plagued by war and drought. Following the departure of the West and the rise of the Islamist movement to power, the country lacks international aid, which accounted for 40% of its GDP and financed 80% of its budget.

“An unprecedented economic shock” at the international level, the UNDP noted, to which were added the Western economic sanctions imposed on the Taliban regime.

UNDP also highlighted the possible consequences of excluding women from work, as the Taliban have not allowed some female civil servants, some of whom worked in education and health, to return to work.

“Women occupy 20% of all jobs and are vital to reducing the economic catastrophe in Afghanistan,” said Kanye Wignaraza, UNDP Country Director for Asia.

The UN estimates that without the participation of women in the labor market, Afghanistan’s GDP will fall “from 3 to 5%”, ie a loss of revenue of 530 to 880 million euros.

Add to that the reduction in consumption, as unemployed women cannot afford to buy enough food to feed or equip their households, which would mean a loss of 441 million euros for Afghanistan.

Wignaraza also said it was crucial that young Afghans continue to go to high school and high school so that they could study and work.

Cash

The UNDP also announced that a € 264 million-a-year cash program for families with children in Afghanistan, the elderly or the disabled is the best way to tackle growing poverty.

At the same time, the UN is launching another 88 million euro program, called “money for labor”, in order to strengthen labor and another 79 million euros for the financial support of small companies.

“This will probably be the best way to reduce this massive collapse into poverty,” Wignaraza said.

UNDP estimates that by mid-2022, more than 90% of Afghanistan’s 39 million people will be affected by poverty.

For its part, the World Food Program announced that 22.8 million people in the country are facing acute food insecurity.