Afghanistan’s women, once hopeful, are now living a nightmare under the Taliban’s brutal rule. After a fleeting period of relative freedom, women are once again stripped of basic human rights. In just a few years, the Taliban has reversed progress, subjecting women to inhumane laws that make everyday tasks nearly impossible.
Under the Taliban’s latest directives, women’s rights have been suffocated. They’ve been banned from speaking loudly in public, a law that essentially silences their voices. They aren’t even allowed to be visible from street-level windows in their homes, and any public appearance without a male guardian is forbidden. Going for a walk? Not allowed. Wearing whatever you want? Not a chance. Women are also prohibited from riding bicycles or motorcycles, even with their husbands. Taxis are banned from taking women as solo passengers, making mobility nearly impossible.
In 2022, the Taliban enforced a ban on women working, forcing all Afghan NGOs to fire their female employees. The Taliban’s reasoning? To combat “vice” and promote “virtue.” In their twisted view of morality, women’s participation in the workforce and public life is a vice. Women working in healthcare have also suffered, with nursing and midwife courses being shut down, leaving Afghanistan with a severe shortage of healthcare professionals.
The Taliban has also restricted women's access to education. Over 1.4 million girls have been denied the right to go to school, with education for most girls now completely outlawed. Birth control is unavailable in many urban centers, further jeopardizing women's health and well-being. As life becomes increasingly unbearable, many women are forced into silence. Their freedom to express themselves, access basic healthcare, and even just exist in public spaces is systematically erased. Under the Taliban’s rule, Afghanistan has become a place where women’s voices are silenced, their choices erased, and their future uncertain. What was once a hopeful dream for Afghan women is now a harsh reality of oppression.
