Women and girls bear the brunt of deteriorating living conditions in Afghanistan
The Taliban’s capture of Kabul in late August 2021, and subsequent consolidation of rule over Afghanistan, raised serious concern that the gains secured by women and girls over the last twenty years would be lost. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, Taliban representatives have promised to respect women’s rights to work and education, albeit within an ill-defined Islamic framework. But the government’s actions over the past few months strongly suggest that the Islamic fundamentalist group is reverting to form when it comes to using power to oppress women and girls.
Since resuming control, Taliban authorities have severely restricted where women and girls can go in their community. According to Amnesty International, women have been informed that they cannot go to work or travel without a male guardian. For the last three months, girls over the age of 12 have been prohibited from attending school, and segregation of women and men in universities is negatively impacting women’s opportunities in post-secondary institutions. Women have been expelled from many areas of the labor force, including the media and entertainment. In October, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed the Taliban for breaking its commitments to women and girls in Afghanistan.
