Five years after Taliban takeover, Afghan women ‘erased from public life’

Afghanistan’s Women Face Five Years of Systematic Erasure Under Taliban Rule

Provpnmatrix.com – Half a decade has passed since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, and the consequences for women and girls have been nothing short of transformative in the worst possible direction. UN agencies released a comprehensive assessment on Wednesday highlighting how de facto authorities have methodically dismantled decades of progress through more than 100 official decrees. These measures have effectively removed women from nearly every sphere of public existence, from classrooms to workplaces to healthcare facilities.

Decrees That Reshaped Daily Life

The cascade of restrictions began almost immediately after the August 2021 takeover and has only accelerated. UN Women’s latest data reveals that these policies have created what the organization describes as the world’s most severe women’s rights crisis. The restrictions extend far beyond education, encompassing employment, freedom of movement, participation in justice systems, and access to healthcare services.

Perhaps most striking is how these decrees have altered basic daily routines. According to UN Women surveys, half of Afghan women now leave their homes only once or twice per month due to severe movement restrictions. Additionally, more women report feeling unsafe venturing outside without a male guardian accompanying them—a significant shift from pre-Taliban norms where women routinely navigated public spaces independently.

The Education Emergency

Education has emerged as one of the most visible battlegrounds. As of 2026, approximately 2.4 million girls remain barred from secondary education, representing a dramatic reversal of two decades of expansion in girls’ schooling access. UNESCO has characterized Afghanistan as unique globally in formally prohibiting girls and women from pursuing education beyond primary levels.

“Afghanistan is the only country in the world to formally prohibit access to education for girls and women beyond the primary level,” UNESCO stated in its official assessment.

The implications extend far beyond individual students. UNESCO warned that this educational exclusion risks condemning Afghanistan to decades of lost potential, deepening poverty, and creating irreversible harm to the nation’s future trajectory. Women barred from secondary schools and universities simultaneously face legal barriers that prevent them from accessing comprehensive protection against all forms of violence.

“Women have been erased from public life,” the UN agency declared. “As a new generation of girls grows without an education, their future becomes increasingly dark.”

Health and Mental Health Consequences

The cumulative effect of these restrictions has generated multiple overlapping crises. Shorter life expectancy rates, elevated risks of maternal mortality, increased child marriage, and heightened gender-based violence have all been documented. Perhaps less visible but equally devastating is the emerging mental health crisis affecting women across the country.

UN Women emphasized that the results are devastating, with the compounding effects of losing education, employment opportunities, and freedom of movement creating unprecedented psychological strain. The institutionalization of discrimination over five years has fundamentally altered how Afghan women experience their own lives and communities.

Aid Cuts Compound the Crisis

While internal restrictions tighten, external support has simultaneously diminished. UN agencies report that global aid reduction trends have significantly impacted operations on the ground. UN Women found that nearly three-quarters of women-led organizations surveyed in Afghanistan experienced funding cuts during 2025 alone.

Bruno Lemarquis, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, warned that these funding gaps could force health center closures, leaving thousands of mothers and newborns vulnerable to preventable complications and death. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme cautioned that devastating funding reductions would disrupt food deliveries to the most vulnerable populations at a critical moment when a hunger crisis affects 14 million Afghans.

International Response and Future Outlook

UN agencies are coordinating efforts to address these challenges through multiple channels. UN Women’s initiatives include bolstering livelihoods, safeguarding access to lifesaving services, and supporting nearly 200 women-led civil society organizations. UNESCO activities focus on improving education quality while providing community-based livelihood and vocational skills training opportunities.

The UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, continues supporting mid-wife training and Family Health Houses that save lives in hard-to-reach areas. UNICEF contributes through lifesaving vaccinations, school construction, and emergency assistance including responses to recent deadly flash floods.

“This unparalleled crisis of women’s and girls’ rights is at risk of being forgotten by the world,” UN Women cautioned.

UNESCO has called for the full restoration of the right to education for Afghan girls and women, echoing entreaties from numerous UN agencies and global leaders. Without comprehensive intervention, experts warn that Afghanistan faces the prospect of losing an entire generation of educated women, with consequences that will reverberate through decades to come.