Robina lives with her mother, father and five siblings in a make-shift house in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. Both of her parents are unemployed. Right now, Robina is the only member of her family in school—but it’s not just because of COVID-19. In Afghanistan, 62 percent of children don’t attend school. Poverty is one of the […]
As the world continues to feel the impact of COVID-19, some countries are feeling the consequences more severely than others. Afghanistan is one of those countries. Before the pandemic hit, people in Afghanistan were already struggling with increased food insecurity, unemployment and poverty due to decades of ongoing conflict. COVID-19 has only intensified these issues, […]
When many children in Laghman Province, Afghanistan, became sick with the measles, their mothers were curious about Taj’s child. “There’s an outbreak,” they wondered, “but her child remains healthy. How could this be?” In Afghanistan, the rates of infant and child mortality are breathtakingly high. For many pregnant women living in small villages, health services […]
By Guy Smagghe, PWS&D Director There is so much turbulence in our world and so much uncertainty. By the time you read this, much will have changed again. Our global community is facing a common challenge and has been forced to take unprecedented measures to protect people’s lives. As with most sudden onset disasters, the world’s […]
*As in Canada, schools in Afghanistan have been closed by government order having a significant impact on this program. PWS&D’s partner in Afghanistan, Community World Service Asia, is monitoring the situation and planning for next steps. Around the world, many countries are slowly but surely making progress on gender equality—Afghanistan is one of them. In […]
Kazim was very concerned for his family. Due to a debilitating illness, for years he hadn’t been able to optimally farm his acre of land—but they got by. Then, the effects of climate change made his farm and others in the area infertile. “Due to low precipitation and shortage of water, as well as my […]
In many parts of the developing world, when the sun sets, delivery wards become empty—without somewhere for nurses and midwives to stay nearby, late-night deliveries are often not attended by health care professionals. Even at the times of day when medical staff are available, many women do not have the transportation or the finances to […]
On Friday, March 8, communities around the world will observe International Women’s Day to celebrate the achievements of women in their struggle for equality, peace and development. The International Women’s Day 2019 theme of #BalanceforBetter is a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world. Balance builds a better world. Providing women with equal access to education, […]
Education offers children a way out of poverty and the chance to build a brighter future. Unfortunately, about 264 million children and adolescents around the world do not have the opportunity to go to school. Poverty, conflict, natural disasters and cultural barriers are just a few of the factors keeping girls and boys outside the […]
Zarmina felt frustrated by the deeply-held belief in her community that there is little need to educate women and girls. “Our community firmly believes that girls were born to stay within their home,” she explains. In Afghanistan, economic constraints and long distances to schools are just a few of the other factors keeping girls at […]