Sweeping U.S. foreign aid cuts have sharply worsened Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, with women and girls suffering the most severe consequences, according to a new report by Refugees International.

The organization says the 2025 decision to shut down USAID operations and halt most U.S. foreign assistance has dismantled critical services in Afghanistan, deepening what it describes as the Islamic Emirate’s system of “gender apartheid.”

Refugees International reports that the cuts eliminated 88 percent of maternal and child health funding, 94 percent of sexual and reproductive health programs, and nearly 80 percent of gender-based violence services.

As a result, more than 420 health facilities have closed or suspended operations since early 2025, leaving around three million people without access to basic healthcare.

The shutdown of clinics and protection services has increased maternal and infant health risks and left survivors of violence without safe spaces or support. The report says families are increasingly resorting to harmful coping strategies, including early and forced marriage and reduced food consumption for women and girls.

Food insecurity has also worsened following the halt of U.S. funding to the World Food Programme. Monthly food assistance has dropped from 5.6 million people in late 2024 to about one million, while an estimated 17 million Afghans now face hunger.

Education opportunities for girls have narrowed further after USAID-supported informal education programs were suspended, cutting off one of the last learning options for girls barred from formal schooling.

Refugees International warns that 21.9 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, more than half of them women and girls, yet the U.S. has so far committed no funding this year.

The organization is urging Washington to restore life-saving, gender-responsive aid before the crisis deepens further.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has not yet commented on this report.

Afghanistan faces one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with an estimated 21.9 million people—nearly 45 percent of the population—projected to require urgent assistance in 2026, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

While this is a slight 4 percent decrease from last year, needs remain extremely high in a non-conflict setting. Persistent vulnerabilities, worsening food insecurity, climate-driven drought, natural disasters, mass cross-border returns, and serious protection risks—particularly for women and girls—continue to drive the crisis.

Food insecurity has reached alarming levels, with 17.4 million people expected to face acute hunger, including 4.7 million in emergency conditions, more than double last year’s figure. Drought affects 12 provinces, leaving 3.4 million people struggling for basic water and food.

La Niña forecasts of below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures could worsen conditions further.

Protection risks remain critical. Restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities on women and girls, combined with ongoing threats from explosive remnants of war, gender-based violence, child labor, and early marriage, leave millions vulnerable. Explosive ordnance injures or kills an average of 50 people each month, OCHA reports.

Mass returns from neighboring countries also strain fragile communities.

In 2025, more than 2.61 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan, stretching limited services, livelihoods, and housing.

Humanitarian partners plan to reach 17.5 million people—around 80 percent of those in need—through a coordinated $1.71 billion response. Aid will focus on life-saving and protective interventions, including food, shelter, healthcare, nutrition, safe water, hygiene, and multipurpose cash assistance in the areas of greatest need.

OCHA emphasizes that while the overall number of people in need has slightly decreased, Afghanistan remains a global humanitarian priority, requiring urgent and sustained support to prevent further deterioration.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, says the country’s penal code contains no provisions that contradict Islamic Sharia.

In an interview with the BBC, Mujahid said the guidelines are fully based on Sharia law. He added that anyone raising objections should first study Sharia and assess the issues within its framework.

“In today’s digital world, Sharia-related materials are available in every language,” Mujahid said.

When asked whether the Islamic Emirate is open to considering the views of Islamic scholars from other countries, Mujahid said that while concerns may be clarified, criticism is not acceptable.

“We do not want to learn religion from others. We have our own religion, beliefs, and scholars. We have made sacrifices for this religion and preserved it for centuries. Why should others teach us religion? Instead, we should teach religion to others,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice said none of the Islamic Emirate’s legislative documents include any article, clause, or provision that conflicts with Islamic Sharia.

The ministry also warned that raising objections to these laws would be considered a crime and said violators would be referred to judicial and legal authorities for prosecution.