Outcome AFG_D_1.4

The UN system in Afghanistan, Member States and regional organizations effectively contribute to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Afghanistan

The challenges facing women and girls in Afghanistan are manifold and addressing these challenges is a collective effort wherein many actors are needed. As such, investments in One UN and joint international community advocacy and data remained a critical part of ACO endeavours during 2024. UN Women remained an active member of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) and the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in Afghanistan. Within the framework of its coordination mandate, UN Women continued to co-chair the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group , and the Women’s Access and Female Staff Participation Working Group with OCHA, UNFPA and the Resident Coordinator’s Office. UN Women furthermore maintained its function as secretariat of the Afghan Women’s Advisory Group to the HCT and as chair of the UN Gender Theme Group (GTG) . UN Women Afghanistan also continued during 2024 to co-chair the Strategic Thematic Working Group on Gender and Human Rights , related to the Framework for International Partnership Support to Afghanistan (2023–25) of the Afghanistan Cooperation Group (ACG), sharing the chair of the most recent sitting (September 2024, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates) with the World Bank and the EU (and prior to that, USAID). Further, for the effective coordination of the UN Strategic Framework (2023-25), UN Women co-chaired (with UNHCR) the Results Group on Social Cohesion, Inclusion, Gender Equality, Human Rights, and Rule of Law (Priority 3) of the Framework. Through these various forums, building upon results achieved during 2023 and prior years, UN Women Afghanistan continued to advance realization of gender-specific initiatives for the UN system in Afghanistan. Examples of key results achieved by the ACO under Outcome AFG_D_1.4 during 2024 are presented below. Development of multiple inter-agency products through the GIHA Working Group to support a women and girl-centred humanitarian response. Networking among the GiHA WG and cross-cutting working groups and subsequent development and rollout of the Minimum Standards for Quality Programming in Afghanistan , providing technical advice and strong advocacy for protective, safer and more gender accountable programme design, planning and delivery, and ensuring that women and girls are not left behind and their voices inform the humanitarian response planning and decision-making. Various achievements via the Gender Theme Group : Secondment of Gender Equality Coordinator to the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Afghanistan, which also doubles as the GTG Secretariat – providing technical expertise and advice to the UN system and international community. UNCT SWAP , developed and finalized. UN Gender Parity Strategy produced to spur advancement on gender parity targets and fostering an enabling environment. Technical Guidance for Mainstreaming Gender into Basic Human Needs (BHN) Programming , developed to boost results in this area. Capacity and training needs assessment and development of the UN Personnel Capacity Development Plan and training materials . Training on revised technical guidance on Gender Equality Markers , provided to the Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group and the GTG.

The UN system in Afghanistan, Member States and regional organizations effectively contribute to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Afghanistan

UN Women Afghanistan invested in UN and humanitarian system-wide advocacy coordination and joint advocacy at national and international level, ensuring gender equality remained central to humanitarian and development responses and leveraging membership of the UNCT, the HCT, and the Inter-Cluster Coordination Team. Permanent Chair of the GiHA WG , UN Women played a pivotal role in embedding gender equality in humanitarian action, amplifying women’s leadership, and shaping a more inclusive humanitarian response: 519 humanitarian actors, including cluster partners, enhanced capacities on gender and safeguarding, via the GiHA WG and the PSEA Network; front-line staff accessed training on gender and negotiations via partnership with CCHN. Expanded field engagement via new regional WG (Northeast Afghanistan), driving women’s involvement in earthquake responses in 4 provinces. Decision makers consistently informed through gender alerts, access snapshots, and rapid gender analyses. Leadership received guidance on key issued (i.a. mahram costs, WLO participation), ensuring more gender-responsive decision-making. Advocacy ensured women’s needs and staff participation systematically integrated into humanitarian operations, evident in responses to 2 earthquakes and influx of returnees from Iran and Pakistan. 30 women enumerators deployed, and staff concerns raised with leadership to mitigate barriers to inclusive, accountable response. Collective accountability advanced Gender Accountability Framework consultation, part of global monitoring (IASC Gender Policy), for improved data integration in the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 , sex- and age-disaggregated data applied in 75% of sector planning, identification of tailored methodology gaps, enhanced system-level integration of gender into the Humanitarian Programme Cycle. Feedback to inform the global IASC Gender Accountability Report and shape country snapshot, GiHA WG action plan. Advocacy secured $5.07M (6.88%) Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund allocation for 8 WLOs. Amplified women’s voices via the Afghan Women’s Advisory Group to the HCT; members met the Emergency Relief Coordinator, attended ECOSOC, and engaged in High-Level Coordination Forums with the DFA. Co-chair of the UN Gender Theme Group (GTG) , UN Women ensured gender priorities remained central to humanitarian actions, contributing to lasting impact and influencing policy at national, global level. The GTG continued to strengthen inter-agency coherence via gender equality standardized training materials, developed to address gaps in gender concepts, analysis, programme design, monitoring. Two Training of Trainers workshops equipped 52 personnel from 15 UN entities with tools to integrate gender into the Basic Human Needs portfolio, with M&E staff co-creating gender-responsive indicators adapted to restricted access contexts. GTG also supported: ‘16 Days of Activism’ GBV advocacy advanced through joint UN Women-UNAMA-UNFPA collaboration, highlighting restrictions on Afghan women staff as forms of violence. Institutional progress in UN leadership, coordination, and use of sex-disaggregated data in the System-Wide Action Plan. Prioritization of the gender parity in the workforce at the HR Working Group retreat, where key strategies were shared. Co-chairing Crisis Management Team which was established by the DSRSG/RC/HC to coordinate the response to the ban against Afghan female staff and contractors coming to UN compounds. UN Women co- chairs this with UNAMA- Human Rights Section/OHCHR. The purpose of the CMT is to make recommendations to the DSRSG/RC/HC on how to manage the crises, including political engagement; safety and security issues; support for women staff and contractors; coordinate and track actions to address the crises and to ensure communication across AFPs, Regional Offices and HQs, and the women affected by the crises. Co-chair of the Results Group on Social Cohesion, Inclusion, Gender Equality, Human Rights, and Rule of Law , UN Women worked alongside UNHCR to drive measurable progress under Priority 3 of the UN Strategic Framework (2023–2025), reinforcing protection and inclusion for women and marginalized groups. Co-chair of the Gender and Human Rights Strategic Thematic Working Group (STWG) of the Afghanistan Coordination Group (ACG) , UN Women ensured Afghan women’s priorities were systematically voiced and integrated into international community strategies and engagement on their state. At the October ACG meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, UN Women presented STWG consolidated recommendations, advancing 10 key proposals. Reaffirmed the role of the STWG as the core platform for coordination, evidence generation, and advocacy, strengthening collaboration with the Resident Coordinator’s Office and integrating Afghan women-led CSOs to reinforce legitimacy and civic space.

The UN system in Afghanistan, Member States and regional organizations effectively contribute to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Afghanistan

Applicable for reporting from 2024. For 2023, relevant achievement on UN Coordination is captured under Outcome 1.3, Output 1.3.1 specifically.