Afghan women report severe rights decline under Taliban rule, affecting 22 million.

Five years after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, women and girls report that their lives have become unrecognizable. The hard-line Islamist group has systematically rolled back the rights of approximately 22 million women since its takeover in August 2021, reversing two decades of progress made during the previous U.S.-led government. The BBC has maintained one of the few media presences in the country, speaking to women from Kabul to rural areas about their daily struggles under the regime.

The Taliban has imposed strict limitations on women’s rights, including barring girls over 12 from attending school and requiring male guardians for travel. Reports have emerged of laws that implicitly endorse child marriage, contributing to a pervasive atmosphere of fear and repression. Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has attempted to downplay these restrictions, claiming that women are not entirely banned from participating in public life, despite evidence to the contrary. Many women have chosen to speak anonymously due to fears of retaliation, highlighting the profound impact these constraints have on their ability to share their stories.

Women like Ela, living in Kabul, express that survival has become their primary focus amidst widespread poverty. “People are so overwhelmed by daily hardships that many have been forced to put their education, dreams, and hopes for the future aside,” she said. Shakiba, another woman reflecting on the Taliban's takeover, described August 15, 2021, as the worst day of her life. Though she managed to complete her secondary education online, her aspirations of becoming a pilot now feel unattainable. The stark reality is that Afghanistan remains the only country worldwide that officially bans girls from secondary and higher education.

Despite the Taliban's claims of progress, only about 7% of women are employed, as many fields of study and workplaces remain closed to them. The United Nations estimates that around 2.6 million girls are unable to attend school beyond the sixth grade. As these women navigate their constrained lives, the question of when, or if, their rights will be restored remains uncertain, emphasizing the dire need for international attention and pressure on the Taliban regime.