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Background Community health workers (CHWs) help reduce healthcare disparities and improve access to and quality of care in many countries. Aim To provide an overview to compare and contrast characteristics of CHW programmes in Egypt, Pakistan and Afghanistan and describe the strengths, weaknesses and challenges of the programmes. Methods Scientific databases and grey literature were searched including PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Review Library, WHO databases, and grey literature websites including those of national health ministries. We shortlisted 23 articles to be included in this study. Results The three programmes reviewed vary in their organization, structure, enrolment and payment structure for CHWs. Key challenges identified in the review include: commodity security that compromises quality of services; inadequate and irregular training; unpredictable or inadequate remuneration structure; and lack of standardization among organizations and government ministries. Strengths identified are that the programmes are accepted and integrated into many communities; and have the support of health ministries, which enhances sustainability and regulates standardized training and supervision. These also increase participation and empowerment of women, evident in the fact that CHWs have organized among themselves to demand better treatment and more respect for the work that they do. Conclusion Our findings should alert policy-makers to the need to review CHWs' scope of practice, update education curricula, and prioritize in-service training modules and improved working conditions. The effectiveness and impact of CHW programmes has been shown countless times, demonstrating that task sharing in healthcare is a successful strategy with which to approach global health goals.