Voice of Women Organization (VWO) was established by a group of Afghan professionals and specialists from different fields of life. Several doctors, engineers, lawyers and social workers were among the pioneers of VWO in 1998. The group started covert schools for girls in the capital Kabul under the oppressive regime of Taliban.  They risked their lives to defy the law and educate young girls in secret schools.  At the fall of Taliban in 2001, VWO was the first ever women NGO to approach the new administration for registration and was the first women NGO to be formally registered in post Taliban era. Establishment of VWO was aimed to support and assist the underprivileged women and children. VWO carried out several critical relief and rehabilitation programs for the vulnerable women and children in Afghanistan since its establishment, as very soon it could attract the attention of international donor agencies toward its humanitarian and development activities in the country.

VWO took the first initiative by providing the women prisoners with in-kind assistance at the Kabul female prison. But, in 2004, the board of directors of VWO realized the overwhelming attention of donor agencies and NGO community on Kabul and the Eastern region.  They felt a lack of attention and support for women in the Western region of the country. Eventually they decided to shift the Headquarters of the organization to the Western city of Herat and started with providing the much needed assistance to the female prisoners in Herat female prison. Ever since shifting the focus on the Western region, VWO has carried out numerous projects in various sectors to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the women and girls in this region.  The salient features of VWO activities are reduction of gender based violence, domestic violence and violence against women. VWO operates under the auspices of CEDAW, CRC, EVAW and other such national and international laws.  Other VWO projects have raised the level of awareness of communities, local and provincial authorities and stakeholders in terms of women’s rights, children’s rights and gender equality.