UN: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Activities Halted in Afghanistan

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that mental health and psychosocial support activities in Afghanistan have currently been halted and banned. In its latest report on access conditions, the agency emphasized that these restrictions have directly impacted vital health services.

According to the report, women rely more than other groups on mental health and psychosocial support services in social settings. Many women need these services to cope with psychological pressures and social challenges, and the suspension of these services could have wide-ranging consequences for their mental and social well-being.

OCHA further noted that the Taliban administration had previously imposed restrictions on women’s access to essential health services. These limitations, along with the ban on mental health-related activities, have raised concerns about women’s access to basic health care.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that restrictions on health services, particularly mental health, could result in long-term harm to society—a situation that urgently requires a review of restrictive policies.