“We were born with hopes and aspirations, just like everyone else, yet we are forced to bury them under the weight of oppression.” Such chilling words reveal the grim reality of Afghan women whose hopes for betterment diminish as the sociopolitical landscape becomes repressive, infusing deep pessimism in their lives.
As we witness the deplorable conditions of Afghan women unfold under the second tyrannical rule of the Taliban since the United States (US) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) withdrawal in 2021, the perils of religious fundamentalism and political authoritarianism stifle women’s progress and divest them of their autonomy, and opportunities, amounting to an abhorrent gender apartheid. Regardless of the ringing denunciation of Taliban’s draconian policies, its supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, paid no heed to the lambasting and warned against foreign interference in his ‘Islamic’ system of governance.
The Women Peace and Security (WPS) Index deems Afghanistan the worst place in the world to be a woman or girl, with the situation only deteriorating. The lamentable state of Afghanistan has further degenerated as women are faced with marginalisation and systematic oppression through denial of fundamental rights in the spheres of education, social mobility, food, security, sustainable livelihoods and most importantly, health.
Since 2021, a total of 70 decrees have been issued, endangering women’s lives with the codification and institutionalisation of widespread gender norms. The subjugation of women stems from the intersection of deeply entrenched patriarchal values and religious extremism, inhibiting women’s empowerment. Consequently, gender discrimination is mounting, with flagrant violations of women’s rights since the Ministry of Women’s Affairs was dissolved and replaced with the de facto Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
While women’s empowerment lies at the heart of Islam, the Taliban’s extremist policies are conflated with patriarchal oppression and regressive ideology.
The Taliban have since barred teenage girls from securing education and imposed an indefinite ban on university education for women. As a result, a staggering 80% of school-aged Afghan girls and 2.5 million women are deprived of education, which is further attributable to Afghan women’s literacy rate standing at 26.6%, which is significantly lower than men’s literacy rate of 52%. Owing to a lack of education and pervasive sociocultural norms, girls are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, domestic violence, forced marriages, and mental health challenges.
The curbing of women’s educational access perpetuates a vicious cycle whereby women are precluded from entering the workforce as teachers, health care workers and doctors, which, in turn, prevents women from attaining education and availing health services, thus reinforcing patriarchal values, misogynistic attitudes and male societal dominance. By 2026, it is estimated by the UN Women Analysis that the rate of early childbearing will soar to 45% while the risk of maternal mortality will increase by 50%, as these variables are directly correlated with women’s exclusion from educational institutions. If the suspension of women’s access to education remains in place, the Afghan economy is also projected to collapse with a loss of $9.6 billion by 2066, amounting to two-thirds of the country’s current GDP.
On the pretext of purdah, women are also prohibited from gaining access to public spaces and securing employment. Moreover, the compulsory accompaniment of a mahram (male relative) has restricted access to work, travel and health care for women who are unmarried or do not have a male guardian. Women in government services have also been ordered to stay home and send a male relative as their replacement. Additionally, the imposition of a ban on Afghan women working for Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) extended to incorporate UN entities, with De facto Authorities (DFA) orders threatening closure of national and foreign NGOs employing women within the country.
As a consequence, the rate of labour force participation for women was 5.2%, whereas for men it was 70.2% in 2023. A sizable 42% of women-owned businesses have also reported a deteriorated environment for commercial activities, relative to 12% of men-owned businesses in Afghanistan, particularly owing to increased gender segregation.
Furthermore, with avenues for economic engagement constantly eroding, women resort to the practices of early, forced and child marriages as survival mechanisms amid dire economic and humanitarian crises, as indicated by the fact that 28.7% of Afghan girls were 18 at the time of marriage, including 9.6% being under the age of 15 in the year 2023.
The UNDP report highlighted that 41% of women-led enterprises have fallen into debt, with only 5% accessing loans through formal financial institutions in 2024. Moreover, according to the Global Findex Database, only 5% of women in Afghanistan possess a bank account, compared to 15% of men. Such financial disenfranchisement caused by a lack of ownership over assets and impeded access to vital resources further limits female participation in the labour force and decision-making power within the household, aggravating unequal gender power dynamics and fuelling gender-based violence.
Systemic barriers in accessing healthcare services and facilities also exacerbate gender-based health disparities. With conservative gender norms underpinning the perennial predicament of gender discrepancy, women’s agency, mobility and autonomy are imperilled as decision-making regarding their health rests with the men of the household. In 2022, only 10% of Afghan women were able to meet their basic health needs with the health services available to them, relative to 23% of men. In tandem with poverty, maternal, infant and child mortality and morbidity risks have compounded over time. Women also have less access to reproductive health care and face forced sterilisation, while inadequate hygiene and sanitation facilities prove detrimental to their menstrual health, additionally.
Owing to food insecurity and malnutrition, pregnant and lactating women have suffered from premature births, deficiencies, and disabilities, debilitating their physical health. With increasing restrictions imposed on their freedoms and rights, Afghan women also face an acute mental health crisis, resulting in a higher prevalence of anxiety, depression, and postnatal depression, accompanied by suicide and suicidal ideation.
Similarly, the Taliban have dismantled the legal system by abolishing institutions and undermining judicial independence, legitimising egregious transgressions of women’s liberty and dignity. As over 250 female judges and lawyers are now dismissed from their positions, women have no recourse to an impartial justice system for their safety and protection.
Recently, the Trump 2.0 administration terminated United States Agency for International Development (USAID) foreign assistance, jeopardising the provision of $21 billion in aid appropriated for Afghanistan. Considering the US remains the country’s largest donor, such a suspension will have catastrophic consequences, with women bearing the brunt of the decline in the health and education sectors, respectively. As of now, 206 health facilities are closed, and the unavailability of sexual and reproductive health services will further result in 1,000 maternal deaths from 2025 to 2028. In addition, over 80 Afghan women in Oman face deportation after the abrupt cancellation of US-funded scholarships, and the American University of Afghanistan also suspended classes, further aggravating Afghanistan’s educational dilemma.
While women’s empowerment lies at the heart of Islam, the Taliban’s extremist policies are conflated with patriarchal oppression and regressive ideology. As they violate the principles of equality, justice and freedom by creating contrived barriers to women’s participation in all facets of life, a progressive reform of the political system and social fabric is warranted through a coordinated response by the international community, as opposed to alienating Afghanistan, essentially.
