Afghan Women’s Resilience Faces Severe Test under Taliban Rule, U.N. Report Finds
KABUL, Afghanistan — Three years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghan women continue to fight for their rights under increasingly oppressive conditions, according to a recent report by U.N. Women. The report paints a grim picture of the challenges faced by women in Afghanistan, whose hard-won gains over the past two decades are being rapidly eroded by the Taliban’s stringent policies.
The findings underscore the disproportionate impact of these restrictions on women’s employment, with a significant decline in female participation in the workforce compared to their male counterparts. The situation is especially dire for female journalists, who have become emblematic of the broader struggle for gender equality in the country.
Lina, a 26-year-old journalist from Farah, shared her harrowing experience in the report. After the Taliban seized control, fear and uncertainty nearly drove her to abandon her career. “I was scared for my life and my family’s safety,” she said. “But I couldn’t give up on my passion for journalism, even though it felt like the world was closing in on me.” Lina’s testimony reflects the broader reality for many women in Afghanistan, where more than 70 edicts and directives have been issued by the Taliban, systematically stripping away their rights.
The report also highlights the psychological toll of these restrictions. A 2023 survey cited in the report revealed that 8 percent of respondents knew at least one woman or girl who had attempted suicide since August 2021, a stark indicator of the mental health crisis gripping the country. Furthermore, 18 percent of women surveyed between August and October 2023 reported not having met with women outside their immediate family in the previous three months, underscoring the increasing social isolation imposed on Afghan women.
Despite these challenges, the report emphasizes the resilience of Afghan women and their determination to continue their struggle for freedom and rights. U.N. Women has called for sustained global support for these women, urging the international community not to abandon them in their time of need.
“The fight for the rights of Afghan women is far from over,” the report concludes. “Their courage and resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity must be met with unwavering support from the global community.”
As Afghanistan grapples with the fallout from the Taliban’s rule, the world watches, waiting to see if the women of Afghanistan will once again defy the odds and emerge victorious in their battle for equality.
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