Afghanistan

About

In Afghanistan, the Heinrich Böll Stiftung has been active since 2002 and from 2005 – 2017 with its own office representation, working in different fields: In the first years the work focused on media development, women empowerment and strengthening of local civil society organisations. Due to changing circumstances, the focus of the programme shifted in the course of time to environmental issues, the role of youth in the democratisation process and to foreign, peace and security policies.

If you want to get some impressions of the work of the former office, visit our Afghanistan archive!

Impacts of Climate Change on Migration and Internal Displacement

Report

Climate change is reshaping Afghanistan’s southwestern provinces, driving displacement and migration patterns. This report examines the environmental stressors—droughts, floods, and resource depletion—forcing communities to leave their homes, intensifying socio-economic vulnerabilities, and challenging governance structures.

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Addressing Afghanistan’s Climate Induced Exodus

E-Paper

In Southern Afghanistan, an urgent crisis is brewing. Water scarcity is driving large-scale displacement and migration, threatening to escalate into a global issue. Decades of drought have depleted traditional water sources, pushing communities to rely on unsustainable groundwater extraction.

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Afghanistan: Ruling by Decree

POLICY BRIEF

Within Taliban governance, the absence of a constitution or legal structure leaves Emir's decrees as the principal guiding force. However, these decrees often linger in the realm of aspiration, lacking the concrete mechanisms necessary for effective implementation. This policy brief looks at Taliban governance and the challenges posed by the reliance on moral guidance in navigating administrative and policy realms.

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Afghanistan: Response to Forced Returnees

POLICY BRIEF

In 2023, tensions peaked between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the expulsion of Afghan nationals. Forced returns led to an influx of families crossing borders, straining resources. This brief examines the institutional response, challenges, and recommendations for international support.

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Working Conditions of Local Civil Society in Afghanistan

E-Paper

This policy brief aims to shed light on the realities, opportunities, and challenges that local civil society face, with an eye towards guiding future international engagement.

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Afghanistan: Return of the Taliban

With the dramatic takeover of power by the Taliban following the abrupt end of NATO's 20-year mission, Afghanistan is drifting into an uncertain political future. Our dossier offers insights into current developments and debates in Afghanistan, the region and Europe.

Videos

The short film "The Sharp Edge of Peace", supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, accompanies and portrays Fatima Gailani, Fawzia Koofi, Habiba Sarabi, and Sharifa Zurmati, the only female members of the Afghan government delegation to the intra-Afghan peace negotiations in Doha, which began in September 2020.

Palwasha Hassan is Executive Director at the Afghan Women’s Educational Center, working for women’s rights and women empowerment. She was interviewed by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in the context of the project "No Women - No Peace: 20th Anniversary of UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security"