War in Afghanistan

Oxfam has been working in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years and supporting partner organizations in all but two of the country’s 34 provinces.

Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, some progress has been made in Afghanistan, such as in health and education. Yet overall progress has been slow and security conditions toward the end of 2008 were worse than at any point since 2001. Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world where one out of every five Afghan children dies before reaching a fifth birthday and the average life expectancy is 45 years of age.

A place at the table
Safeguarding women's rights in Afghanistan
Promoting the accountability of the Afghan National Security Forces
Follow up briefing to No Time to Lose report
No Time to Lose
Promoting the Accountability of the Afghan National Security Forces
High Stakes
Girls' Education in Afghanistan
Nowhere to Turn
The Failure to Protect Civilians in Afghanistan
Promises, promises
A briefing paper for the Kabul Conference on Afghanistan
Afghanistan Reintegration Briefing Note
Quick Impact, Quick Collapse
The dangers of militarized aid in Afghanistan
The Cost of War
Afghan experiences of conflict, 1978-2009
Memo to the President: Key Recommendations to the Next Afghan Government
Aid agencies working in Afghanistan say Afghanistan’s next government must improve the lives of ordinary Afghans by devoting greater resources to building up to 6,000 new schools, training upwards of 5,000 new midwives, and professionalizing the police force.
More research
Education for girls: 'Our future depends on it'
In Afghanistan, education for girls is crucial to the future development of the country.
A better future
Oxfam has helped women in a remote part of Afghanistan open a bakery—to earn an income and improve their lives.
Kabul conference messages
On 20 July, world leaders will meet to dicsuss the future of Afghanistan at the Kabul Conference. Oxfam asked ordinary Afghans what they want to come out of the talks.
More multimedia

Features Subscribe | View All

Lives interrupted

Lives interrupted

Photos from Afghanistan, which paint a grim picture of a country plagued by 30 years of fighting.

Read more

Small loans make a big difference for women in Afghanistan

Small loans make a big difference for women in Afghanistan

Oxfam America's sister organizations are working hard to help women in drought-prone areas of Afghanistan find ways to improve their lives.

Read more

» More stories «
Emergencies
Get involved

Join our online community

Learn more


Stay connected

or text OXFAM to 30644 for SMS updates


Emergency action

Emergencies—and how we respond to them—can be catalysts for social change.