The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UN Women, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have released their third quarterly joint report on the status of women in Afghanistan. In this report, they conducted interviews with 529 women in 22 provinces in the country, both in-person and online. 69% of the respondents stated that their anxiety, isolation, and depression have increased. According to these women, their decision-making power within families has significantly diminished. They also described their lives as akin to living in a prison. 62% of the women confirmed that the Taliban’s restrictions have intensified and applied uniformly. Education, commerce, the economy, and participation in social activities are among their top priorities. Interviewees have cautioned the international community about the Taliban’s lack of compliance with their promises and emphasized that this group is not adhering to its commitments. These women are calling for increased global pressure on the Taliban regime and have urged international organizations to provide opportunities for women in their negotiations.
The situation of women in the past two years has continuously been reported as dire and unpleasant by international organizations. In the third quarterly report of the United Nations agencies in Afghanistan, it is mentioned that the Taliban have issued over 50 restrictive orders against women, systematically excluding them from society.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), UN Women, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have published their report on the status of women in Afghanistan from April to July of this year. The report indicates an unprecedented increase in domestic violence, forced marriages, and underage marriages. They also highlight that as a result of Taliban restrictions and job deprivation, women’s decision-making power within families has significantly diminished.
The United Nations agencies have mentioned in their quarterly report that they have conducted interviews, both in person and online, with 529 women in 22 provinces. The majority of respondents have complained about poor mental health, increased stress, anxiety, depression, and suicide among young girls.
The report states that access to education remains a top priority for girls and women in Afghanistan. According to the report, improving women’s rights and economic conditions was of secondary importance to survey participants. These participants emphasized the importance of educational outcomes for gender equality and long-term development in Afghanistan. Women working in the fields of education, media, business, and human rights have faced intimidation and harassment, directly or indirectly, through the Taliban’s policies.
According to this report, due to the reduction of women’s employment in all sectors during the year 2023, concerns about mental health have replaced physical safety concerns. The report states that women’s mental health is deteriorating, and this deterioration is continuously increasing.
Furthermore, the report mentions that with the worsening economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, women are increasingly focusing on basic survival. They argue that short-term aid will not solve Afghanistan’s fundamental issues. These women have called on international actors to adopt different and meaningful approaches in this regard.
The report claims that women have urged the international community to facilitate channels of communication with Taliban authorities so they can express their concerns directly. Women continue to emphasize that the Taliban should not be recognized. They have called on the global community to judge the Taliban based on their treatment of women.
The findings of the report indicate that 62% of the Taliban’s orders have been executed with increasing severity and without exceptions, resulting in further setbacks for women. The report states that the Taliban’s restrictive directives in eastern Afghanistan are rigorously and universally enforced, accounting for 91% compliance. Additionally, 89% of survey participants have reported that harassment, fear, and street violence by both the Taliban and ordinary men have become increasingly prevalent and intensified.
The report highlights pressure on women in public transport and public places. It is noted that increasingly pervasive and systematic patriarchal norms have amplified the pressure on women in public spaces. Women have stated that mobility restrictions, including the compulsory presence of a male guardian and safety concerns, have closed off job opportunities for them.
The report specifies that rural women, mainly involved in agriculture, livestock farming, and daily household chores, have not been the primary targets, but these pressures have intensified on urban women. Women are restricted from accessing many public or private spaces. The sale of goods is prohibited, and women-only markets have been closed in many areas.
In the third quarterly report of United Nations agencies, it is emphasized that the pressure on women has led to increased conflict within families and society. According to the report, child labor, child trafficking, begging, forced marriages, early marriages, and child marriages have all increased, and Taliban fighters have engaged in polygamy. The report also states that early marriages of girls have long-term consequences on sexual health, fertility, and the risks of domestic violence.
The report further specifies that due to financial pressures and job restrictions, 77% of respondents have stated that they are receiving financial assistance from their relatives who live abroad. Conversely, in rural areas, women are often occupied with fetching water from outside, exposing them to harassment and sexual violence.
According to this report, the crisis resulting from Taliban restrictions has fractured the rights of women and their family relationships. Family conflicts have escalated and persisted as the mental well-being of all family members deteriorates. The report highlights that Taliban policies have also driven men in families towards violence and pressuring women. According to the report, women have called on the international community to continue political and economic sanctions against Taliban officials, revoke exemptions for the travel of Taliban leaders, and support women’s political participation at various levels.
It should be noted that with their control over Afghanistan, the Taliban have excluded women from all aspects of public life, depriving them of the right to education, employment, and participation. Currently, women are denied their most basic human rights under Taliban rule and have been systematically and intentionally marginalized, according to international human rights organizations. These organizations have stated that the Taliban’s policies towards women constitute crimes against humanity and gender apartheid.