Afghanistan: Humanitarian Access Snapshot (June 2024)

Key Highlights

In June 2024, humanitarian partners reported 75 incidents [1] across various provinces in Afghanistan, a 34 per cent decrease from May 2024 and a 63 per cent decrease from May 2023. Most incidents occurred in the Southern, Western, and Northern regions, with interference in humanitarian activities as the primary issue. Other challenges included environmental obstacles, movement restrictions, and violence targeting humanitarian personnel and facilities, including the detention of aid workers. As a result, 41 humanitarian activities were suspended, and one was closed, mainly affecting the health sector. Interference in humanitarian activities was the major challenge, representing 75 per cent of the reported incidents, a 15 per cent decrease from the previous month, affecting 56 activities.

These included nine incidents related to delays or issues with MoU signing, three incidents involving attempts to interfere with beneficiary selection, 17 incidents of requests for sensitive staff information, four incidents of restrictions on women’s participation in humanitarian action, 16 incidents of interference in programming, and seven incidents of pressures from authorities to be involved in procurement and recruitment processes. Ongoing engagements with authorities have resolved 35 per cent of overall access constraints, with efforts continuing at national and sub-national levels to address ongoing incidents.

Violence against humanitarian workers remained significant, with nine incidents recorded in June, including three detentions, an 80 per cent increase from the previous month. In June, five humanitarian workers, including a female staff member and her mahram, were reportedly detained, and another female staff member and her husband were reportedly injured due to physical violence. Threats against the humanitarian workers by ISK also led to movement restrictions and the suspension of activities in the Eastern region provinces. Movement restrictions posed another critical challenge, with seven incidents recorded.

These primarily involved requests for additional movement approvals, incidents at points of entry, search operations of international staff, requirements for a mahram for female staff movement, and incidents at checkpoints. Many of these were gender-related, with 12 incidents recorded, accounting for 16 per cent of the total incidents, resulting in the suspension of eight activities, particularly in the Southern and Southeastern regions. In June, three directives were issued in different regions, including a deduction of monthly salaries for all female government employees at 5,000 Afghanis, mainly affecting the health and education sectors. However, an IEA spokesman clarified that female employees would continue to receive their full salaries if they reported to the office. Other directives included the Department of Economy's emphasis on involvement in the procurement process, particularly in the Southeastern region.