Innovation, information systems and institutional roles: the interactive effects of international non-governmental organization on health and education in Afghanistan, 2020–2025

The end of the political transition in Afghanistan in August 2021 altered radically the spheres of activities of International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), compelling them to make an urgent change in priorities, making the development-focused programming change to emergency humanitarian response. This paper explores the combined effect of INGOs on the health and education sector in Afghanistan during the 2020-2025 timeframe, specifically how innovation and Information Systems (IS) have helped the service delivery to be sustained in the face of extreme institutional and political constraints. The paper uses a mixed-methodology approach to review secondary data concerning key health and education indicators, as well as a thematic analysis of the operational strategies of INGOs. The quantitative data show that the female secondary school enrollment (38.5 percent in 2020 and estimated 1.5 percent in 2025) fell precipitously, and the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) increased, indicating the humanitarian crisis. On the other hand, the INGO health coverage became even more important with a manifestation of their urgency as the main service provider. Qualitative analysis revealed that the introduction of sustainable, localized information systems, particularly remote monitoring and resource tracking, was the key institutional innovation that enabled the INGO to achieve approximately 82 % resource allocation efficiency after the transition, compared to 65 % before the transition. The paper concludes that INGOs have played an essential role in ensuring that there is no complete breakdown of vital services, but their overall effect in the long term is limited due to the absence of a consistent institutional structure and policy limitations. Policy recommendations focus on the necessity to have long-term, adaptable funding, and investment in digital resilience and a localized approach to service provision to maneuver the humanitarian-development nexus in fragile contexts.