Limited Access for Afghan Women to Addiction Treatment Services
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has reported that women suffering from substance use disorders in Afghanistan face a severe shortage of treatment services, with only a small fraction of existing centers providing care for them.
According to published data, nearly two-thirds of addiction treatment centers serve only men, while slightly more than one-third offer specialized services for women. This situation has left many women in need of treatment without access to health support and rehabilitation.
Health experts emphasize that the lack of women-specific services, especially in a society with extensive cultural and social restrictions, can have serious consequences for individual and family health. In many cases, women are unable to visit male-only treatment centers due to social constraints and the absence of dedicated facilities.
Amid the Taliban administration’s broad restrictions on women’s social presence and activities, international organizations have repeatedly warned that reduced access to health services—including addiction treatment—could exacerbate hidden health crises in the country. However, no effective measures have yet been reported to expand women-specific treatment services.
