UN Women urgently appeals for $ 2.5 million to support women and girls affected by the Afghanistan earthquake

[Press release]

With winter approaching, many women and girls affected by the earthquake in eastern Afghanistan are still struggling to access humanitarian aid and life-saving services.

UN Women is appealing for $ 2.5 million to expand a 6 to 12-month emergency response and recovery plan to scale up women’s participation in the response and increase access to services, in partnership with women’s organizations, which will contribute to the Earthquake Response Plan, coordinated by OCHA.

“The major shocks from the earthquake may have passed, but the women and girls who are impacted face a long-term disaster without more urgent assistance,” said UN Women Special Representative in Afghanistan, Susan Ferguson.

Since the first earthquake in eastern Afghanistan on 31 August, and throughout the subsequent aftershocks, under the UN’s Earthquake Response Plan, UN Women and partners have worked to include women in the joint assessment teams to help identify the most urgent needs and priorities of women and girls, which include shelter, clothing, food, cash, health and protection services, including mental health and psychosocial support.

Yet, many women still cannot access support, due to conservative norms —which can make it hard for them to move around and find out about services available— and a need for more women humanitarians.

UN Women is partnering with women-led and women-focused organizations to address the immediate needs of women and girls across Kunar province, including by providing:

• Items such as blankets, clothing and cooking utensils, including supplies to cope with the winter cold —which is critical, given many families are still living in tents or other temporary shelter;
• Cash assistance;
• Protection services, including mental health and psychosocial support, and by
• Establishing women’s and girls’ safe spaces where they can meet and access humanitarian support.

The total $ 2.5 million needed for affected women and girls includes:

• $ 2.5 million to cover the gap in a total $3.5 million package for a 6 to 12 month response and recovery plan, targeting 30,000 individuals, primarily women and girls; and
• $ 80,000 to support the participation of Afghan women in the response, analysis to map the needs of women and girls as well as capacity building across UN and NGO partners, to ensure they can safely access affected women and girls.