The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) speaks out in support of and in solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan during this time of political unrest and the rapidly escalating crisis.
For nearly a century, AMWA has led medical programs in support of nations in need through the American Women’s Hospitals Service (AWHS), which was established to achieve a two-fold mission: the relief of suffering through medical care and the advancement of women in the medical profession.
As women physicians who work in diverse healthcare settings, we are especially concerned about the health and wellbeing of the women and girls in Afghanistan, including pregnant women, and the challenges that they are currently facing related to reduced access to healthcare services and education, food, water, and other basic needs as well as the ability to support their families through work. These issues, coupled with the threat of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are compounding the grave situation faced by the people in Afghanistan, and may push back living standard targets established by the United Nations in this region:
- Sustainable Development Goal #3 —Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages
- Sustainable Development Goal #4—Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
