Gender / livelihoods
Women’s livelihoods and economic participation in Afghanistan
A mixed-methods study for UNDP and the Asian Development Bank examined women’s livelihoods and economic participation in Afghanistan. Survey evidence covering 8,000 women, interviews and focus groups connected constraints on work, finance and services with feasible options for gender-responsive programming.
Context and purpose
UNDP and the Asian Development Bank sought evidence on women’s livelihoods and economic participation in Afghanistan. The study examined how political restrictions, mobility, household relationships and access to services shaped feasible options for gender-responsive programming.
The work
Mixed-methods research combined survey evidence covering 8,000 women with interviews and focus groups. Analysis addressed employment, entrepreneurship, financial access, food insecurity and household decisions. Consultations informed options for livelihoods, income support and local agro-food value chains, including cash-assistance targeting.
Outputs and use
The study supplied a reference baseline and programme recommendations for future evaluation and longitudinal tracking. It supported evidence-based design in a restricted operating environment without treating proposed interventions as delivered improvements in livelihoods.