The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 marked a significant shift in Afghanistan’s history. One of their first moves was to dismantle the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) and replace it with the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, a body enforcing strict Islamic laws. While this move was not entirely unexpected, it reaffirmed the Taliban’s longstanding approach of suppressing women’s rights. And this continuous suppression of women’s rights is very alarming especially considering the image they portrayed to the world before coming to the power.
While this move was not entirely unexpected, it reaffirmed the Taliban’s longstanding approach of suppressing women’s rights.
They presented themselves as being dedicated to Justice, protecting women’s rights and adopting moderate government policies to ensure the wellbeing of its people. The promises turned out to be meaningless and empty, this was only a tactic to gain international legitimacy and be recognised as the official government of the Afghanistan. For many Afghans, it feels like history is repeating itself, as the country drifted back in the 1996 where women had no freedom and faced endless oppression.
Since coming to power, the Taliban have issued several orders that strip women and girls of their fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, movement, and the right to work and education.
Afghans who had the courage to protest against these policies were detained, threatened, arrested and, even faced torture. Women’s rights activist has reported that since the Taliban’s return to power, cases of child marriage, forced marriage, and rape been on the rise.
The rise and fall of women’s rights in Afghanistan
Under Taliban rule, the violence against women has become one of the regime’s central policies in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has a history of early progress in women’s rights from women’s suffrage in 1919, the opening of the first girl’s school in 1920 and the raising of the legal marriage age to 21 in the 1970s, along with attempts to ban polygamy and make education mandatory. However, these reforms were widely ineffectual, and lacked a general sustainability.
The Taliban, whose rule demonstrated a stifling influence over women’s rights, has long been an obstacle to such advancements. Their rise to power in the 1990s was met with extreme limits on broader freedoms for women, including bans on education and working. And while the U.S. and NATO intervened in 2001, with the goal of improving these conditions and supporting legal reforms to promote justice and equality, those efforts had significant challenges. Allegations of misconduct by foreign forces, including allegations of rape and harassment and unlawful killings of Afghan civilians, undermined their mission and, in some cases, fuelled support for the Taliban’s resurgence.
In a country where women’s rights have made modest advances over the past century, the return of the Taliban has put those achievements in reverse.
In a country where women’s rights have made modest advances over the past century, the return of the Taliban has put those achievements in reverse. And as the Taliban have reestablished their authority, Afghanistan has again become a country in which women’s liberties are crushed, and their status in society minimised. Even after previous pledges to reform, the harsh diverse realities of women today show the trials of upholding human rights gains in a context of political instability and conservative ideology.
Systematic erosion of women’s rights under Taliban rule
Before the Taliban came to power, women in Afghanistan had made significant progress in various fields such as education, work, and independence. Many women had become self-reliant, running their own businesses, providing support to their family and actively participating in public life. However, when the Taliban took control of Kabul, it dealt with devastating blow to women’s rights, erasing years of hard-earned advancements. The Taliban issued at least 70 decrees and instructions that directly targets the autonomy, rights, and daily lives of women.
One of the Taliban’s first actions was to dismiss around 60 women from government positions, stating that men would replace them. An Afghan woman who worked in finance ministry for 17 years was dismissed from her job. In an interview, she shared that she feels as though all her efforts and success have been erased, and once again she is back to square one. Many women fled the country, and the hope for women’s empowerment seemed to vanish overnight. The women who left in the country faced numerous challenges, including poverty, mental health struggles, and even suicidal thoughts as their basic rights were being taken away.
According to a report by the International Labour Organisation, 25% of Afghan women lost their jobs. Schools were shut down beyond grade 6, potentially denying them the right to secondary education. Furthermore, some female teachers found work in remote areas, travel restrictions that required a male relative’s accompaniment for journeys over 72 kilometres forced many to quit.
The Taliban directed that women should be fully covered in the public spaces and soon imposed restriction of their movement as well, extremely limiting their mobility. By the end of the year, beauty salons were also shut down, making it harder for woman to earn a living as they were left with very few opportunities.
By the end of the year, beauty salons were also shut down, making it harder for woman to earn a living as they were left with very few opportunities.
Beyond these restrictions, Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian crises since the Taliban came in power. Economic sanctions, the collapse of central banking system, rising unemployment, mounting prices of food and fuels have worsened the situation of state. It is now reported that 90% of Afghanistan’s population is now dealing with basic meal shortages, with many skipping meals or going entire days without food. Among those most affected by the crisis are Afghan women and children.
Rising challenges and long-term consequences
Women in Afghanistan are facing increasing challenges every next day as opportunities to participate and engage in public life continue to disappear. Many have lost their source of income, forcing them to live in poverty and hardship. Women in Industries like tailoring and designing have seen their earnings drop drastically due to fewer orders. Female business owners are also struggling as they are unable to connect with international markets because of travel bans and the Taliban’s restrictive policies.
The exclusion of women from public spaces has further isolated them. The Taliban imposed another ban on women, prohibiting them from public parks. They stated that the women were not following the rules set by them. This step effectively shuts women out from public and recreational spaces contributing in the marginalisation of women.
In December 2024, the Taliban imposed yet another suffocating policy, banning the construction of window so that women can’t be seen from outside their homes. After caging women within the four walls, they are now depriving them of even the basic right to breathe freely in their own spaces.
Additionally, the Taliban now directed the NGOs to stop employing women, warning that an organisation failing to adhere would face shut down.
The return of the Taliban to power has pushed Afghan women into a harsh state of oppression and suffering, denying them of their rights and freedom, that are hard earned privileges for which they had already endured immense struggles.
The return of the Taliban to power has pushed Afghan women into a harsh state of oppression and suffering, denying them of their rights and freedom, that are hard earned privileges for which they had already endured immense struggles. Restriction on education, employment and even basic movement have left women deeply marginalised and isolated, raising serious concerns.
The ongoing humanitarian crisis has exacerbated these challenges, especially for the most vulnerable section, such as female headed households. This systematic violation of women’s rights under the Taliban rule is not only an affront to humanity but also a significant setback, threatening to undo decades of progress.
The United Nations and various international organisation have made substantial efforts to confront the dire situation in Afghanistan. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) consistently documents and condemned violation of women’s rights by the Taliban. The UN has repeatedly called for the immediate restoration of women’s access to education and jobs and public life.
For instance, emergency assistance for food, healthcare, and financial support have also been given by several international organisations to ease the sufferings of Afghan women. Yet the international community has struggled to ensure that aid reaches the needy often because of restrictive policies of Taliban.
However, despite global outrage and these humanitarian interventions, the international community’s humanitarian intervention that were intended to be a safeguard for the rights of Afghan women have mostly failed to protect their rights. Every day the Taliban brings in new mechanisms to further control women, leaving them without any protection and support they so badly need.
Every day the Taliban brings in new mechanisms to further control women, leaving them without any protection and support they so badly need.
In this context, sustained and decisive international political action is required to bring accountability to the Taliban and engage with the Afghan women’s movement to safeguard their rights. Real progress will only be possible with continued global attention and coordinated action.
