The findings of a study indicate that Taliban restrictions have subjected women to intensified pressures and various psychological problems. Over 320 women in 20 provinces were interviewed in this report, with more than 60% of them experiencing feelings of depression. According to the report, the mental health of 25% has been described as poor, while only 10% of women consider their mental state as normal. Based on the research findings, 70% of women have experienced various forms of violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.
According to statements from officials of this organization, divorced women have been returned to their former husbands by the Taliban, and the incidence of forced and underage marriages has increased. Furthermore, the results of another study indicate that the Taliban have committed 3,329 cases of human rights violations in the past two years. On the other hand, “Aclead” has attributed responsibility for 62% of attacks against civilians, extensively suppressing and harassing women to the Taliban. Nonetheless, UNICEF has described the depression and suicide rate among girls in Afghanistan as “saddening” in a published report.
A social organization named “Organization of Gift for Girls” has examined the level of violence against women during the two-year rule of the Taliban. The organization has found that with the imposition of the Taliban’s prohibitions and restrictions on women, psychological pressures on girls and women have significantly increased, leading to various mental disorders. The interviewed women in this report have identified the Taliban as the main perpetrators of these acts of violence.
Nevertheless, the officials of this organization also state that the fundamental cause of violence and the emergence of mental issues against women is the Taliban. According to them, since the return of this group to power, men in certain traditional families have resorted to violence, and poverty, destitution, and unemployment have intensified violence against women. The officials of this organization have emphasized that the prohibition of education, underage marriages, and forced marriages has increased, and some girls in interviews with this organization have confirmed that they have been married off without their consent to husbands their families due to the restriction of girls’ schools.
The “Organization of Gift for Girls” has spoken with 338 women across 20 provinces for this report, with 50% of them being between the ages of 20 to 30. The report indicates that 30.7% of the interviewees were married, 50% were single, and the remaining were widowed or divorced. The report states that 41% of the interviewees had completed their bachelor’s degree, 6% had completed their master’s degree, and the rest were students, pupils, or illiterate.
The findings of the organization’s research show that 60.7% of the surveyed population experienced feelings of depression, and the mental state of 25% is described as “poor.” According to this report, only 10% of the respondents considered their mental state as normal.
The “Organization of Gift for Girls” has stated that 70% of the interviewees have experienced various forms of violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. This organization has reported five cases of sexual abuse. Furthermore, officials of this organization told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that they have documented a case in which, with the assistance of the Taliban, a divorced woman was returned to her first husband’s home.
According to this report, 30.8% of the interviewees have experienced physical violence, and 22% have experienced different types of violence. 44% of women have stated that they are exposed to various forms of violence on a daily basis. The report argues that 71% of respondents have said that experiencing violence has led to the emergence of mental illnesses, particularly severe depression among women.
The “Organization of Gift for Girls” added that these statistics reflect the challenges faced by women and girls in Afghanistan, which threaten their social and individual well-being. According to the organization, women currently require special assistance and healthcare more than ever before. The report emphasizes that in order to rescue women from this situation, it is essential for their fundamental rights and citizenship to be respected by the Taliban.
In the two years since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, numerous human rights organizations have described the human rights situation in Afghanistan as concerning through the publication of investigative reports. According to these organizations, the Taliban, through widespread prohibitions, have unprecedentedly violated the human rights of the country’s citizens. According to the reports, the Taliban have not acted upon their promises to uphold human rights and establish an all-inclusive government, instead implementing policies from their previous rule in Afghanistan that have led to the complete exclusion of women from the public sphere.
In the latest case, “Afghan Witness” stated in a report that over the past two years, the Taliban have violated 3,329 cases of human rights. The report from this organization indicates that the Taliban have strongly suppressed street protests by girls and women.
However, “Aclead” which compiles casualty information from armed conflicts, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the collapse of the previous government, has reported that the Taliban have been responsible for 62% of attacks against civilians in the past two years. This organization further added that employees of the previous government, including former military personnel, prisoners, women, and journalists, have been subjected to mistreatment and attacks by this group.
Previously, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has stated that the Taliban continue to violate women’s rights seriously, engage in torture and detention of former military personnel, commit extrajudicial killings, inflict physical punishments, carry out executions, and exert pressure on the media.
It is noteworthy that Human Rights Watch has recently called for prioritizing the investigation of war crimes committed by the Taliban by the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, Heather Barr, the head of the women’s division of this organization, has emphasized that the issuance of arrest warrants for some Taliban members could potentially lead to a change in the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has described the situation of women under Taliban rule as “distressing and concerning” in a report titled “Gender Equality: Struggle for Girls’ Education in Afghanistan.” UNICEF has stated that the situation of girls in Afghanistan is incomprehensible. According to this organization, the widespread depression and suicide rates among girls are “saddening.”
