Afghanistan Protection Analysis Update

In 2024, Afghanistan faced a combination of challenges that continue to hinder recovery from decades of conflict, including a shrinking protection space, a fragile economy, inadequate access to essential services, and the impact of natural disasters, climate-related shocks and extreme weather conditions. The DfA’s governance and discriminatory laws and policies have worsened the humanitarian situation. Women, girls, boys, persons with disabilities, minorities, older persons, youth, IDPs, returnees, and other groups at risk, facing severe restrictions on their rights, freedom of movement, and access to public life.

These measures have created systemic barriers to education, healthcare, and livelihood, deepening women and girls marginalization disproportionately. 6.3 million people are still displaced, many of whom multiple times. The influx of about 3,406,161 Afghanis from Iran, Pakistan, and Türkiye cross-border returns has overstretched the already limited resources, while people living in informal settlements face the growing threat of eviction due to the de facto authorities’ relocation efforts. The delivery of humanitarian aid remains obstructed by bureaucratic delays, strict monitoring, and restrictions, preventing timely support. The humanitarian situation in 2024 is marked by worsening vulnerabilities, limited access to services, and increasing isolation of the most at-risk populations especially women and girls. A significant funding shortage has considerably impeded the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance.

The protection risks requiring immediate attention in the period covered by this analysis are:

1. Discrimination and stigmatization – denial of resources, opportunities, services and/or humanitarian access
2. Presence of mines and other explosive ordnance
3. Gender-based violence
4. Unlawful impediments and/or restrictions to freedom of movement, forced displacement and threats of forced eviction
5. Impediments and/or restrictions to access legal Identity, remedies and justice