Just imagine waking up every morning and hearing that your basic human rights are being taken away from you one by one. You are banned from chasing your dreams. You are facing domestic violence and torture. You are banned from living the life you wanted to live and doing the things you love because the only reason you are being stopped is that you are a woman. This is not imagination for the women and girls of Afghanistan but the reality they are facing every day. This not only affects the lives of women but also the entire country. A country cannot grow if half of its population is left behind. When opportunities are stolen away based on gender, everyone pays the price.

Women's rights are basic human rights, not privileges that can be granted or taken away.

BACKGROUND:

Ever since 2021, the Taliban came to power again, and they have completely erased women and girls’ public life. They have issued over 80 restrictive decrees against women. They assured the public that women would be allowed to pursue education and work in accordance with Sharia law, but despite this, from the start of their rule, they began to suppress women’s rights and started imposing restrictions on them.

Under the Taliban regime, women are the ones suffering the most. In May 2022, girls were banned from attending school after Grade 6. In December 2022, women were barred from attending universities and banned from working for NGOs. In May 2022, another decree was issued ordering women to cover themselves and stay at home unless it was necessary to come out of the house. Women were banned from entering parks, gyms, and other public places. In July 2023, all beauty salons were ordered to close. In August 2024, women were required to cover their entire bodies and faces, and their voices were not allowed to be heard in public. Decree No. 18 removed the minimum legal age for marriage and made it more difficult for women to leave unhappy or abusive marriages. And not only this, what is worse is that the Taliban allows men to beat their wives as long as they do not break their bones or leave open wounds.

 

The Reality of Afghan Women Today

From our childhood, we always hear people say “that education is the key to success”. But what if this key is taken away from you? Does a person deserve this? No, no one should be allowed to take away your right to study, your right to chase your dream, and your right to get an education based on your gender.

In Afghanistan, on September 17, 2021, girls were only allowed to go to school until Grade 6, and after the age of 12, they were ordered to stay at home. Taliban officials prohibited universities from teaching books written by women. First, women were legally forbidden from applying to study fields like engineering, agriculture, journalism, and economics, but later they were completely barred from attending universities. Since December 2022, women have no longer been allowed to study.

Education is a basic human right that should be equal for all human beings. When a girl is banned from education, it is not only her loss; it is a loss for society and the country too because they lose the knowledge, skills, and abilities she could have contributed.

Beyond education, employment is also one of the major challenges that Afghan women are facing. Women are not allowed to work in most government offices, and they face multiple restrictions in schools, hospitals, offices, and NGOs. Many women have lost their jobs. Some women earn through small home businesses like tailoring and handicrafts, but they still face difficulties and a lack of financial support.

For women, being financially independent in today's world is really important. It gives them confidence, security, and independence. They can fulfill their basic needs without relying on anyone. Women who work can make their own life decisions and can be able to leave abusive and unhealthy relationships. When women are denied the right to work, they lose not only their income but also their freedom to make decisions and contribute to society.

According to UN Women; only one in four Afghan women is working or looking for a job, compared to nearly 90 percent of men.

The United Nations says that because of these restrictions, Afghanistan may face a shortage of more than 25,000 female teachers and healthcare workers by 2030.

The worst challenge faced by women is domestic violence. Women face abuse and violence within their own homes. People say homes are a safe place for everyone, but what if that home becomes an unsafe and threatening place for many women? Then where should they go?

On January 7, 2026, the Taliban's Supreme Leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, approved a 90-page legal decree known as Decree No. 12. The decree provides that a husband who causes his wife a broken bone, an open wound, or visible bruising may face up to 15 days' imprisonment if she files a complaint before a judge.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 90% of women in Afghanistan have experienced at least one form of domestic violence, and 52% have experienced physical violence.

This is something beyond humanity. This raises serious concerns, and this should not be normalized. Every single woman and girl deserve to live their life with dignity and safety.

The restrictions placed on Afghan women do not stop here. The Taliban also takes away their freedom to make even the basic and simplest choices. Their freedom has been restricted in almost every aspect of life. Women cannot travel alone because they must be accompanied by a male relative (mahram) when they leave their homes. Even accessing healthcare can become difficult without a male relative. They are heavily restricted from using public transport. Then imagine how difficult and risky it is for widows or women without close relatives to go outside, even just to buy food or necessities. Women are no longer allowed to go to gyms, salons, parks, or many other public places.

According to the Law on the “Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,”

 it legally requires women to cover their entire faces and bodies and prohibits their voices from being heard in public.

 

Women are no longer able to dress by their own choice, express their opinions, or use their freedom of speech. The healthcare restrictions in Afghanistan limit women's access to medical education and basic treatment. There is a shortage of female staff, and women are not receiving proper treatment. Women face barriers to visiting hospitals or traveling without a male guardian because of strict restrictions.

Child marriage is another devastating challenge that girls face in Afghanistan. The rate of child marriage is increasing with the passage of time. These little girls are losing their childhood. At the age when they should study, play, and live freely, they are facing this situation, which is heartbreaking.

According to UN Women:
“ In 2023, nearly 30 per cent of Afghan girls under 18 were married, including 10 per cent under the age of 15. Some families, facing poverty, marry off daughters as a survival strategy.”

And at the end, they lose their rights to live freely.

 

The Impact of These Restrictions:

These restrictions not only affect the lives of women and girls but also affect the country's economy and state.

According to UN Women:

·       78 per cent of young Afghan women are not in education, employment, or training, nearly four times the rate for young men.

·       By 2026, early childbearing is projected to rise by 45 per cent.

·       Maternal mortality could increase by more than 50 per cent.

·       Denying girls secondary education is costing Afghanistan 2.5 per cent of its GDP every year.

With all these restrictions, women are facing depression and anxiety, and they are not living the life they wanted. Restricting women from education and employment can lead to a downfall in the country's economic growth, as it can lead to thousands of teachers, doctors, journalists, and workers losing their jobs. It can shorten the number of female healthcare workers and medical staff.

When half of a country's population cannot fully contribute, national development, innovation, and economic progress are slowed. These restrictions affect access to education, healthcare, markets, and social support while also harming women's mental well being.

More Than a Political Issue:

For many people, this issue is political, but this is about humanity. Every single human deserves the opportunity to study, get jobs, express themselves freely, and share their opinions without any threat or pressure. Every woman deserves to live with dignity, protection, and respect. Denying women these opportunities does not only affect their lives; it affects society as a whole. When women are denied opportunities, society loses their potential.