The Australian government has allocated $5 million to support women and girls in Afghanistan, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry.
In a statement on Friday, March 28, the ministry announced that the funds will empower UN partners in Afghanistan to provide healthcare services for women and girls.
Penny Wong, Australia’s Foreign Minister, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to supporting Afghan women and girls who continue to resist Taliban-led violations of their rights. She stated, “We remain steadfast in our support for Afghan women and girls who have shown incredible courage in the face of systematic human rights abuses by the Taliban.”
Afghanistan’s healthcare system has long struggled with financial instability. Over the past two decades, it has relied heavily on international humanitarian aid.
Since the collapse of a legitimate government and the reduction of global aid, the country’s healthcare sector has faced severe shortages of doctors and specialists, making the system even more fragile.
In many rural areas, healthcare facilities are nonexistent. According to UN-affiliated organization BASBLO, many women lose their lives on the way to hospitals.
Afghanistan has the highest maternal mortality rate globally. Previously, the European Union’s Afghanistan office reported that one woman dies every two hours due to preventable diseases in the country.