AGP Executive Report

Disaster Response: OCHA says natural disasters in Afghanistan have hit 97,320 people since Jan 2, with 97 killed and 331 injured; floods and flash floods are the main driver, damaging nearly 10,000 homes and fully destroying over 2,100, while agricultural land and roads take the hardest blow. Humanitarian Access: Despite a near-total Pakistan-Afghanistan border closure since October 2025, UN reports 724 aid trucks crossed via Torkham carrying food and critical supplies—an emergency lifeline as acute child malnutrition remains severe. Climate Risk & Recovery Gaps: OCHA warns that repeated hazards and weak infrastructure are compounding vulnerability, pushing families deeper into dependence on aid as recovery barely keeps up. Livelihoods & Environment: Women in Herat are turning to beekeeping as a safer income path, supporting pollinated crops and food security while offering legal work for thousands of women. Regional Resilience Planning: Bhutan’s 7.5 quake simulation in Thimphu—supported by Nepal experts and including Afghanistan among CDRI members—highlights how disaster preparedness networks are expanding across the region.

Disaster Toll: The UN says natural hazards have hit Afghanistan hard in 2026, affecting about 92,000 people across 34 provinces since the year began, with 97 deaths, 331 injuries, nearly 10,000 homes damaged and over 2,100 destroyed—floods and flash floods driving most needs. Humanitarian Access: Despite a near-total Pakistan border shutdown after October clashes, 724 aid trucks still crossed into Afghanistan via Torkham, carrying food and critical supplies, as acute child malnutrition remains at critical levels. Flood Aftermath: One year after the 2025 monsoon floods in Swat and Buner, survivors report broken roads, ruined schools and clinics, and limited aid—warning that without lasting flood mitigation, the next disaster could be worse. Livelihoods & Food Security: OCHA warns disaster damage to homes, farms, roads and irrigation is pushing vulnerable families deeper into dependence on assistance. Community Resilience: In Herat, women are turning to beekeeping as a safer income path, supported by WASSA and UNHCR training, linking pollination to stronger crop yields. Governance & Risk: As Afghanistan marks five years under the Taliban, rights groups and UN experts say restrictions and repression are deepening, while the country struggles to cope with overlapping climate and humanitarian shocks.

Surveillance & Fear: Kabul residents say the Taliban’s rapidly expanding CCTV network is tightening control over daily life, with women reporting they feel constantly watched and at risk of detention for minor “violations.” Taliban Anniversary, Crisis Deepens: As the regime marks five years in power, Reuters and rights groups point to worsening humanitarian conditions, natural-disaster strain, and severe restrictions on women and girls, even as the Taliban staged a “victory day” parade. Humanitarian Fallout: Save the Children warns acute malnutrition is rising—nearly 1 in 10 children under five are acutely malnourished—while plummeting funding has shut or suspended nearly 600 health facilities. Media Crackdown: Reporters Without Borders says Taliban directives have built one of the world’s most comprehensive systems of media repression, dismantling press freedom through escalating rules and punishment. Security Pressure: UN-linked figures reviewed by Amu report nearly 34,000 security incidents during Taliban rule, with ISIS-K still behind attacks on civilians and minorities. UK Engagement: The UK’s Afghanistan envoy says dialogue must be matched by concrete action on counterterrorism, regional security, and women’s rights, alongside climate resilience support.

Media Freedom Under Pressure: Reporters Without Borders says the Taliban built a sweeping system of media repression, issuing more than twenty national directives and provincial decrees that tightened censorship, intimidation, and legal punishment for journalists. Five Years After Takeover: Taliban marked the fifth anniversary with a Kabul “victory day” parade, but UN and aid groups warn crises are worsening, with record humanitarian needs driven by drought, deadly earthquakes, and shrinking aid. Women’s Rights and Education: Multiple reports highlight a deepening “gender apartheid” as girls and women remain barred from secondary and university education, with UNESCO and UNICEF warning the education collapse is also harming child protection, mental health, and long-term recovery. Humanitarian and Health Strain: Coverage points to a failing health system and rising needs as funding drops and more Afghans require assistance. Security and Instability: UN-linked reporting notes armed opposition is fragmenting, while assassinations of regional officials continue, adding pressure to an already fragile situation.

Education & Rights: Five years after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan’s education crisis is widening: girls are still barred from secondary school and women from universities, with UNICEF warning the ban is also harming child protection, mental health, healthcare access, and literacy outcomes. Humanitarian Health: CARE says it had to suspend 30 clinics due to funding gaps, while other groups report hundreds of medical facilities closed or scaled back, leaving women and newborns among the most affected. Women Under Taliban Rule: Reporting highlights how restrictions are reshaping daily life—women leaving home less often, feeling unsafe without a male guardian, and facing barriers to public services. EU Engagement: The EU reiterates it does not recognize the Islamic Emirate but continues over €2 billion in humanitarian support via UN agencies and NGOs, tied to UN benchmarks. Water & Drought: In Balkh’s Zari district, drought and hot weather are crushing rain-fed farming, while poor roads and clean-water shortages deepen hardship. Media Freedom: Journalist Hamid Farhadi was released after two years in Taliban custody, following international concern over his detention. Security & Aid Pressure: UN-linked reporting says aid workers are being trained to handle suicide calls as hunger pushes families to breaking point.

Drought & Rural Hardship (Balkh): In Zari District, rain-fed wheat is failing as drought and heat cut harvests to “almost nothing,” while dust, weak roads, and rising transport costs leave families struggling to buy basic food and clean water. Humanitarian Funding Crunch (Afghanistan health): CARE says it has suspended 30 clinics due to lack of funding, as hundreds of facilities have closed or reduced services; staff warn women and newborns are arriving in critical condition. Food Crisis Pressure (WFP): The UN reports worsening malnutrition and rising distress calls as households run out of money for essentials like milk, with hunger pushing people toward breaking points. Women’s Rights Under Taliban Rule: UN Women and other reporting highlight intensified restrictions over five years, including bans on girls’ secondary education that also fuel child marriage risk. EU Engagement Without Recognition: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says the bloc keeps supporting Afghans with over €2 billion in aid via UN and partners, while refusing to recognize the Islamic Emirate. Media Freedom Clampdown: CPJ says Taliban controls journalists through surveillance, detention, censorship, and exile, with women facing extra discrimination. Journalist Released: Hamid Farhadi is freed after two years in Taliban custody, following international rights pressure.

Acute Malnutrition: Save the Children says nearly 1 in 10 Afghan children under five are acutely malnourished, with wasting worsening in two thirds of provinces as infectious diseases rise and funding cuts shutter care. Health Access: Nearly 600 health facilities have been shut or suspended, threatening services for about four million people, including half children. Gender & Education: A new report warns Taliban restrictions on girls’ secondary education are pushing child marriage risk higher, with nearly half of women aged 20–24 married before 18 in multiple provinces. Earthquakes: A roundup of 2026’s major quakes highlights how even when quake counts aren’t unusual, the damage can be severe—underscoring Afghanistan’s vulnerability to disaster shocks. Media Freedom: The Afghanistan Journalists Center documents 102 violations of media freedom in the past year, including detentions and bans on broadcasting images of living beings. UN Warning: UN experts urge governments not to normalize Taliban rule, demanding measurable progress on women’s and girls’ rights before any engagement.

Education & Gender Apartheid: UNESCO says about 2.4 million Afghan girls have been barred from secondary education since 2021, with the ban deepening “gender apartheid” and potentially reaching nearly four million by 2030 if it continues. Humanitarian Stability: UNAMA notes security gains over five years under the Taliban, but warns lasting stability still hinges on lifting damaging restrictions on women and girls and addressing terrorism risks. Media Freedom Under Pressure: The Afghanistan Journalists Center and Reporters Without Borders document 102 media freedom violations in the past year, including detentions and closures, as Taliban rules tighten control over what can be published and even what images can be broadcast. Health & Polio: A new polio case was confirmed in Uruzgan, bringing Afghanistan’s 2026 total to 16, with vaccination efforts challenged by misinformation and cross-border spread. Rights & Detentions: Human Rights Watch urges Taliban authorities to release detained UN and NGO staff, warning the arrests could further restrict lifesaving aid and rights work.

Education Rights: UNESCO says about 2.4 million Afghan girls have been barred from secondary education since the Taliban returned in 2021, with the ban rising by 200,000 since last year and potentially nearing four million by 2030. Women’s Safety & Access: UN Women reports Taliban restrictions have hardened into a state-like system—many women say they leave home only once or twice a month and feel unsafe traveling without a male guardian. Governance & Stability: UNAMA marks five years of Taliban rule, warning that improved security alone isn’t enough for lasting stability, pointing to ongoing rights restrictions and terrorism concerns. Energy & Health Infrastructure: UNDP and the EU installed a 200-kilowatt solar system at Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Hospital to cut diesel reliance and support uninterrupted care for over 200,000 patients annually. Environment & Pollution: Residents in Baghlan’s Ghori area demand control of Ghori Cement pollution, saying it’s harming local living conditions. Regional Security Context: A study on Pakistan, India and China after the Taliban return argues states respond differently to the same insecurity shock—shaped by how they’re exposed to threats.

Clean Energy for Health: UNDP installed a 200-kilowatt solar power system at Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan Hospital with EU support, aiming to cut diesel reliance and keep care running for 200,000+ patients yearly. Education & Gender Apartheid: UNESCO says Taliban policies have barred about 2.4 million Afghan girls from secondary education since 2021, warning the figure could near 4 million by 2030 and that learning quality is collapsing—90% of 10-year-olds can’t read a simple text. Humanitarian Pressure: An emergency NGO reports Afghanistan’s economic and health crises are worsening as trade routes are disrupted, disasters hit repeatedly, and international aid drops—445 health facilities shut or suspended in 2025. Women’s Daily Life Under Rule: UN Women highlights how restrictions have hardened into state policy, with many women leaving home only once or twice a month and avoiding travel without a male guardian. Biodiversity Watch: Scientists report three new cascade frog species from northeast India, underscoring how fast-moving forest streams can still hide new life.

Education Crisis: UNESCO says Taliban restrictions have barred about 2.4 million Afghan girls from secondary education since 2021, up by 200,000 since last year, with the figure potentially nearing four million by 2030; UNESCO warns the ban risks decades of lost potential, deeper poverty, and higher early-marriage risk, and says limits on women teaching boys are worsening a shortage of qualified female teachers. Climate Pressure: A new global climate update reports July as the second warmest on record, with record sea temperatures and heatwaves plus drought and wildfire risks that are already damaging ecosystems and agriculture. Pollution & Health (Afghanistan-linked): Reports highlight Kabul’s persistent power outages and ask whether solar can help—an energy reliability issue that can affect air quality, health, and basic services. Regional Environment & Water: Iran reiterates that Helmand water rights remain a top priority in relations with Afghanistan, keeping water security in the spotlight.

Education & Gender Rights: UNESCO says Taliban restrictions have barred about 2.4 million Afghan girls from secondary education, up by 200,000 since last year, with the figure possibly nearing four million by 2030. Teacher Shortage: UNESCO adds that banning women from teaching boys is worsening the education crisis, projecting a shortfall of over 11,000 qualified female teachers by 2030 and leaving boys taught by unqualified male teachers. Humanitarian Pressure: UN-linked reporting highlights Afghanistan’s overlapping crises—hunger, disasters, displacement, and shrinking aid—as families struggle to cope with repeated climate shocks and mounting debt. Climate & Disasters: Global climate coverage notes extreme heat and drought are intensifying risks for ecosystems and communities, underscoring the need for early warnings and reliable forecasts. Aid Funding Gap: The Norwegian Refugee Council warns humanitarian funding has plunged from 96% (2021) to 26% for 2026 so far, forcing cuts to food, water, shelter, and health support. Wildlife & Habitat: Separate reporting flags growing threats to leopards in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, driven by food scarcity and weak enforcement—an echo of wider regional biodiversity pressures.

Humanitarian Funding Collapse: The Norwegian Refugee Council says Afghanistan’s humanitarian response plan funding has plunged from 96% (2021) to 42% (2025) and only 26% for 2026 so far, forcing cuts to food, water, shelter and health as needs rise. Climate-Linked Disasters: UN OCHA warns repeated climate shocks are driving overlapping crises, including devastating flash floods in Nuristan that hit families already struggling. Returnee Pressure: NRC reports over six million Afghans have returned since late 2023; 73% of returnees remain unemployed, adding strain to housing, jobs and basic services. Water Security: Iran says Helmand River water rights remain a “constant, vital and strategic” priority, citing the 1973 treaty and concerns over Afghan water projects. Education Support: Qatar Red Crescent Society launched “Back to School 2026,” aiming to reach 24,000+ students across eight countries including Afghanistan, with a campaign budget of over QR12 million. Biodiversity Threats Nearby: Reports from Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa highlight rising leopard killings linked to habitat and food pressures—an environmental warning for the wider region. Regional Energy Talks: Turkmenistan and Afghanistan discussed progress on the TAPI gas pipeline and related infrastructure in Herat, tying development cooperation to regional stability.

Helmand Water Rights: Iran says Helmand River water rights remain a “constant, vital and strategic” priority in talks with the Taliban, citing the 1973 treaty and warning downstream shortages affect agriculture and livelihoods. Humanitarian & Climate Pressure: The Norwegian Refugee Council warns NATO states have “forgotten” Afghanistan as over six million return since late 2023; 73% of returnees are unemployed, while recurring climate shocks and aid funding cuts deepen hunger and poverty. Sanitation Gains in Daikundi: UNICEF reports around 627,000 people in Daikundi benefited from community-based health and sanitation programmes, with the province eliminating open defecation in multiple districts. Media Crackdown: Reporters Without Borders says the Taliban has tightened control of Afghanistan’s media through more than 20 national directives and provincial decrees, restricting criticism, women’s voices, and live political programming. Local Pollution Watch: Baghlan residents demand control of Ghori Cement pollution, highlighting ongoing environmental harm concerns. Water & Governance: Kabul’s power and water stress continues to shape daily life, with calls for practical solutions like solar and better water management.

Press Freedom Under Taliban: Reporters Without Borders says the Taliban have “weaponized” Afghanistan’s legal system, issuing 20+ directives over five years that restrict criticism, women’s voices, programming, and even required terminology—moving from informal orders to a more formal framework. Malnutrition and Climate Pressure: REACH-supported assessment finds malnutrition cases rising sharply in parts of Afghanistan, as returnees from Pakistan and Iran strain already weak services; shortages of medicines and unaffordable treatment costs are worsening food insecurity amid climate shocks. Health and Aid Gaps: UN-backed reporting highlights that millions of Afghans still face hunger and poverty, with funding shortfalls and climate-driven disasters deepening humanitarian needs. Water and Environment Support: UNESCO reports restoration of 16 qanats in Afghanistan with Japanese support, a practical step for local water resilience. Wildlife Loss: Habitat degradation and weak enforcement are linked to rising leopard killings, with reports of repeated incidents across Pakistan’s border regions—an ecosystem warning relevant to the wider region.

Afghanistan Hunger & Malnutrition: A UN-backed REACH assessment says malnutrition is rising in 53% of surveyed Afghan areas, with cases doubling in 44% over three months; food prices, economic hardship, climate shocks, and declining aid are driving the crisis, and 21.9 million people (about 45%) need humanitarian help. Returnee Pressure: Another report links worsening malnutrition to rising returns from Pakistan and Iran, with most areas reporting medicine shortages and unaffordable treatment costs. Flood Risk in the East: Flash floods continue to hit eastern Afghanistan, destroying homes and leaving children missing, underscoring how extreme weather is compounding vulnerability. Media Under Taliban: Afghanistan’s journalists face a growing mental health crisis amid closures, job losses, restrictions, arrests, and threats under Taliban rule. Environmental Diplomacy: Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency seeks support from Azerbaijan to attend COP31 in Türkiye, pushing for regional cooperation on climate and environmental protection. Water & Food Prices: UN reporting warns heatwaves and energy shocks are lifting staple food costs, deepening hunger risks.