Four years following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, the crisis surrounding women’s rights in Afghanistan continues to worsen. Afghanistan remains the only country where girls are banned from attending secondary school.
Nevertheless, a nationwide survey of over 2,000 Afghans revealed that more than 90% support girls’ right to education.
“It is clear: Despite the existing bans, the Afghan people want their daughters to exercise their right to education,” stated Sofia Calltorp, UN Women’s Chief of Humanitarian Action, at a press conference in Geneva on Friday.
‘Education is the Difference’
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is compounded by systemic restrictions on women and girls’ rights.
Ms. Calltorp emphasized the importance of supporting Afghan women’s community organizations, which provide healthcare, mental health support, and opportunities for connection.
“In a country where half the population lives in poverty, education is the difference between despair and possibility,” she said, highlighting their desire to return to a learning environment.
“This is almost always the first thing girls tell us – they are desperate to learn and just want the chance to gain an education,” stated UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, Susan Ferguson.
A year after a stricter morality law was introduced, imposing widespread restrictions, a new alert emphasizes the deepening normalization of the women’s rights crisis.
NGO Work Ban
According to UN Women, the Taliban’s ban on women working for NGOs, enacted nearly three years ago, continues to have severe repercussions.
More than half of NGOs in Afghanistan report that the ban has hindered their ability to provide essential services to women and girls. A UN Women survey conducted in July and August found that 97% of Afghan women said it had negatively impacted them.
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