Afghanistan's Humanitarian Crisis Worsens 🌍💔: Taliban Rule Sparks Infrastructure Collapse and Global Concern
Deep Dive with Nadia 💬
In this article Nadia discusses the post conflict region of Afghanistan. She is a student journalist with us on a placement organised by the Department of War Studies, King's College, London. This article was edited Lex.page.
🎧 listen to Nadia’s backstory here - she discusses her motivation & research as well.
Humanitarian Crisis in Afghanistan: A Closer Look at Critical Infrastructure Challenges
After the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the nation faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Afghanistan is grappling with daunting challenges due to the disruption of international aid and investment. How has the international community responded to this crisis, what are the consequences for the Afghan people, and what lies ahead in the face of these infrastructure hurdles?
I became interested in this area. After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, I interned with AmeriCorps in Michigan, assisting with refugee resettlement. I focused on helping refugee children acclimate by enrolling in schools, computer skills, welfare check-ins. I witnessed the failures of the US refugee and immigration systems for Afghan refugees. Many families were split or left behind after America withdrew from the region, and without an embassy in Afghanistan, visas couldn’t be issued. For example, a father and son came to America first, intending to secure jobs and housing before sending for the rest of the family, including the mother and daughters. However, between their arrival and sending for the family, the Taliban took over and America withdrew. Despite her rights, the mother and children had no access to a US embassy, as there wasn’t one in Afghanistan anymore, and she couldn’t reach any other embassy or consulate, as women under Taliban rule can’t travel. The family was able to contact each other through Skype, but was limited by power cuts, outages, and internet access. I left the internship in September of that year, and never saw the resolution, but it still inspires me. That’s what inspired this article because we all need access to food, water, energy, communication, movement, and travel. Critical infrastructure facilitates access to these necessary goods and services.
Before the Taliban regained power, Afghanistan experienced stability and progress. Efforts between the Afghan government and international Organizations like NATO made significant investments in critical infrastructure, resulting in advancements in sectors such as healthcare, electricity, water, and food security. This improved the quality of life for millions of Afghans and contributed to the country's economic and social development. However, the Taliban's resurgence has introduced new challenges and obstacles to sustaining these gains. While they have sought to leverage the existing infrastructure, their rigid ideological stance and lack of technical expertise have hindered effective governance and management, leaving critical systems vulnerable to breakdowns. Consequently, Afghanistan now faces a precarious situation where essential services are at risk, exacerbating the dire humanitarian crisis.
Since the Taliban took over, their remaining infrastructure has been tested by natural disasters. Afghanistan has been hit by drought, earthquakes, and floods, which the Taliban did not properly mitigate. Last October, earthquakes caused nearly 2,500 deaths, and destroyed or damaged around 72,000 buildings, affecting over 43,000 people. The Taliban failed to respond quickly, effectively, and meaningfully. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid admitted to Germany’s DW News: “Afghanistan is a poor country and cannot handle disasters on its own; therefore, we need help and support.” Humanitarian aid organizations led relief and rebuilding efforts; however, the Taliban have worsened the damage.
The Taliban’s ultra-conservative Islamic policies have severely limited critical infrastructure for a large portion of their population, especially women and ethnic minorities. For instance, women are no longer issued driver’s licenses, not permitted to attend past primary level, or enter public parks. The Taliban’s extremist gender policies also prohibit women from accessing medical care without a male guardian and have pushed them out of the workforce. After the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, many skilled and educated workers left the country, contributing to a brain drain. The Taliban furthered this by prohibiting women from working outside the home and participating in humanitarian aid.
The Taliban’s human rights abuses and lack of gender equality prevent UN recognition. No country recognizes them as the legitimate successors, limiting their diplomatic capabilities. Sanctions against them prevent investments or aid through Taliban structures, hindering long-term development and allowing only for direct, short-term projects. This limits humanitarian agencies’ ability for long-term infrastructure development such as constructing dams
Humanitarian aid groups like the UNDP have made progress by directly funding small-scale infrastructure and women-led businesses for proper irrigation or improving supply chains. However, until the sanctions and formally recognizes the Taliban government, which requires their compliance with human rights conventions. This creates opportunities for less conscientious nations to step in.
Ties are being established between the Taliban and regional and global powers. Some countries have engaged with the Taliban government for pragmatic or interest-driven reasons, including diplomatic visits, security discussions, and economic talks. The Taliban have seen increased interest in oil and mining contracts from China and have launched railway projects between Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and India. By establishing railway links and promoting cross-border trade, the Taliban seek to position Afghanistan as a transit hub between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. If the Taliban meet their needs through these economic opportunities, sanctions may be ineffective in improving Human and Women’s rights in Afghanistan, but it may increase stability and alleviate some poverty. Over time, people in Afghanistan may have better access to food, clean water, electricity, communications, and transportation; however, human rights are just as basic of a need. The international community faces a delicate balancing act in engaging with the Taliban regime, weighing economic incentives against human rights concerns, underscoring the complexity and the importance of strategic diplomacy and policy coordination in addressing Afghanistan’s infrastructure challenges while upholding fundamental rights and values.
The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan highlights the need to address infrastructure challenges after conflict and political upheaval. Disrupted essential services, natural disasters, and oppressive policies have left millions of Afghans in need. The international community faces the daunting task of providing aid and engagement while upholding human rights. It’s imperative to prioritize the Afghan people’s well-being, ensuring inclusive, sustainable, and rights-respecting infrastructure rebuilding. Working with local communities and international partners can lay the foundation for a resilient and prosperous Afghanistan.
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