Transitioning from face-to-face to remote capacity-sharing among women-led organisations in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, the rollback of women’s and girls’ rights and freedoms has drastically shrunk the operational space for women-led organisations (WLOs), at precisely the moment that the contribution of WLOs is most vital for humanitarian planning and decision-making. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, the adaptability and resilience of organisations working on the ground in Afghanistan has been tested immensely. Many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) ceased operations or evacuated staff from Afghanistan following August 2021 due to concerns for the safety and security of their staff, as well as uncertainty surrounding the operating environment under Taliban rule. For those that remained, withdrawal of international staff from provincial level to Kabul necessitated shifts to static service delivery for international agencies, leaving local actors as the last link for communities in need of protection and basic services.

Restrictions on women’s work and public participation created significant risks for women humanitarian workers, with women NGO staff working on gender-based violence, protection and women’s empowerment reporting a higher level of operating risk compared to other humanitarian staff. Varying restrictions imposed by de facto authorities at provincial level limited the presence and mobility of women staff, based on determination of ‘suitable activities’ by local authorities. This also impacted the ability of women humanitarians to actively participate in the full spectrum of the humanitarian programme cycle. The combination of restrictions (women’s right to work, sex segregation in the workplace, mahram requirements, and safety and security concerns regarding travelling to and from work) has resulted in the majority of women humanitarian staff working from home, for those who have not fled the country.

This rollback has also reduced the operational space for WLOs in Afghanistan. Women’s civil society continues to exist in Afghanistan; however, WLOs’ operations have been significantly curtailed and their access to funding through institutional partnerships greatly reduced as many international actors perceive partnering with WLOs as a risk in the uncertain political environment. Donors discontinued projects supporting WLOs, which has impacted the support and resources available to these organisations and to women human rights defenders. Areas of work that directly challenge the Taliban’s position on women’s rights face the most obstacles, with Taliban directives considerably diminishing the operational space for women-led organisations to operate. WLOs have reported contract termination on the basis of Taliban refusal to allow projects related to the implementation of existing law (e.g. Law on Elimination of Violence Against Women, 2009) or revisions (e.g. the Civil Code, 1976).

A challenging operating environment

The presence of strong and active WLOs in humanitarian response in Afghanistan is crucial to respond to the needs of women and girls, and to inform decision-makers of the evolving situation vis-à-vis the regulatory environment. This has necessitated a rapid digital transformation, complete with resource and organisational challenges akin to those experienced by international organisations at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Unlike international organisations, local WLOs in Afghanistan did not receive the organisational investments to shift to remote work during the pandemic, and the experiences of WLOs transitioning from face-to-face to remote activities during the Taliban-imposed restrictions in Afghanistan have been very different to those of international organisations with women staff working remotely. In addition, the capacity and resources within the WLO sector have been significantly depleted due to the departure of many women leaders from Afghanistan, lack of financial liquidity, and ongoing security concerns. As the humanitarian community mobilises a huge response with exponential increase in humanitarian financing coming into the country, the presence of women in the humanitarian sector has never been lower, nor funding less accessible. Now, with the risks facing women and girls and the constraints on women civil society organisations accessing funding and support, the recognition of and engagement with WLOs are more important than they have ever been.

Most local WLOs operating in Afghanistan have limited opportunity to compete in calls for programme proposals due to the size, institutional set-up and limited resourcing of women-led organisations, in addition to the lack of registration available to WLOs. Even registered WLOs are unable to compete with organisations led by men due to selection criteria and requirements that favour larger NGOs or those that can carry out a pre-assessment, which requires pre-existing funding that many WLOs do not have. The duration of grants that WLOs receive is often only 3–6 months, fostering frequent staff turnover and discontinuities in programming. Despite interest among donors to support frontline work with women and girls in Afghanistan, local WLOs are not large or institutionalised enough to meet donor minimum standards for reporting and due diligence. But without funding, there is no way for them to strengthen their institutional capacity, and thus the support and decision-making power needed remain out of reach, despite public declarations from donors and philanthropic organisations about supporting women-led frontline response.

In addition, the gains that we have seen in Afghan women’s representation in peace processes and development discussions have not been equalled in the humanitarian sector due to lack of investment, practical work and tangible commitments in women’s voice and participation by humanitarian stakeholders. As a result, women’s representation in humanitarian planning and decision-making in Afghanistan is much lower than corresponding levels in peace processes.

Shifting from face-to-face to remote working

Moving programme implementation online involved meticulous planning and targeted interventions to ensure continuity and relevance. Specific modifications, such as sourcing and distributing laptops to local WLOs through a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding programme, Women’s voice and leadership in humanitarian settings, were instrumental in bridging the digital divide and facilitating a smoother transition to new platforms, familiarising WLOs with this technology, and enabling them to harness it to effectively achieve the programme’s objectives. The use of Zoom for meetings between WLOs in 2021 became a pivotal adaptation, ensuring that dialogues and capacity-sharing efforts among Afghan WLOs continued unhindered. This platform was chosen for its accessibility and security, providing a conducive environment for communication. Moreover, regular phone calls replaced individual visits, allowing for personalised interactions and ensuring that individual needs and concerns were addressed. The impact of these adaptations extends beyond enhanced digital literacy. By institutionalising online methods into their regular operations, WLOs can leverage diverse stakeholder relationships, fostering robust global connections and achieving broader humanitarian goals. This impact will continue beyond the current environment, and fits in a larger framework of resilience, ensuring that the voices of those who need to be heard will be elevated to global decision-making spaces.

The abrupt shift to online platforms posed several challenges, including technical issues that inhibited meaningful digital interactions (issues such as internet connectivity difficulties, use of different online applications, and power outages). The initial lack of digital literacy and connectivity issues not only required distribution of hardware, but crucially also digital literacy training in local languages by WLO staff already familiar with the technology, including by women leaders now working outside of Afghanistan. Digital literacy training was repeatedly provided by and for local WLOs operating at community level by the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation, with much effort and at flexible times, when internet connections were strongest, to ensure that local WLOs in different areas of Afghanistan were able to remain connected to the wider community.

Transitioning from traditional face-to-face engagement to remote capacity-sharing in a complex environment like Afghanistan has been both enlightening and challenging. The impact of the transition to online platforms has been profound. It has not only enhanced WLOs’ digital literacy and networking capabilities, but also ensured that coordination of humanitarian activities among WLOs has been maintained. As a result, WLO voices are able to reach humanitarian decision-makers through established channels, though with significant room for improvement. Afghan WLOs’ ability to pivot to a new working model has demonstrated their resilience, their tenacity to face and overcome myriad challenges facing the local humanitarian community, and the relevance of WLOs as a data source for the situation of women and girls in affected communities.

Conclusion

While the humanitarian efforts of WLOs in Afghanistan and other challenging contexts may be riddled with unpredictability, the success of capacity-sharing among WLOs is distinguished by the trifecta of adaptability, resilience and continuous feedback. This ensures that even in the face of adversity, the voices that need to be heard don’t fade into silence but resonate loud and clear. More can be achieved by addressing online infrastructure; funding technological support and digital literacy training; switching to flexible funding mechanisms; and replicating the model in contexts facing similar challenges. By supporting the enhancement of internet connectivity and digital infrastructure in specific areas where WLOs operate, improved online infrastructure can facilitate communication, collaboration and access to resources for WLOs and the communities they serve. Provision of technological support and digital literacy training for WLOs can significantly enhance WLO digital skills and capabilities and leverage technology for advocacy. Flexible funding mechanisms that consider the unique challenges faced by WLOs in contexts such as Afghanistan with extreme restrictions on WLOs are critical for adaptable and responsive humanitarian programming. Donors must listen to the specific needs and constraints experienced by WLOs operating in areas with restrictions, such as limited access to resources or security concerns. Flexible funding can enable WLOs to address emerging challenges and opportunities, maintain operational continuity, and effectively provide lifesaving services to women and girls. Finally, replicating this model in contexts facing similar challenges can provide some good practice out of the overwhelmingly difficult experience of WLOs continuing to operate in Afghanistan. By sharing successful strategies and lessons learned, this approach can be adapted and replicated to support the empowerment and resilience of women in diverse contexts facing extreme restrictions on their humanitarian work.

Zarqa Yaftali is Director of the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation.