KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban’s sweeping restrictions have severely curtailed women’s ability to participate in public life in Afghanistan, according to a new report released by UN Women.
The report said that stringent rules — including the requirement that women be accompanied by a mahram (male guardian) and the enforcement of restrictive dress codes — have “drastically limited” women’s public engagement.
The ban on women working for NGOs and UN agencies has also sharply reduced women’s and girls’ access to critical services, including healthcare, education, nutrition, and protection, the report said. It further warned that restricting women from the humanitarian workforce has undermined community responses meant to be inclusive and equitable.
Over 70 percent of women surveyed reported difficulty in accessing humanitarian assistance, with many citing the lack of women humanitarian workers and culturally imposed mobility restrictions as the main barriers.
The report also highlighted the devastating effects of the Taliban’s ongoing ban on girls’ education beyond primary levels, describing it as a crisis that has created an educational void, limited future employment opportunities, and perpetuated cycles of poverty.
“Despite community recognition of education as a critical need, only 43 percent of school-aged girls are enrolled,” the report said. “Virtually no girls aged 13 to 17 attend secondary school. This educational exclusion not only diminishes individual potential but also undermines the country’s long-term socioeconomic development.”
The report found that woman-headed households (WHHs) are disproportionately affected by inadequate housing conditions. They reported higher rates of inadequate shelter, overcrowding, and lack of warm clothing during winter.
The mounting economic hardship, it said, has forced families to adopt increasingly desperate coping mechanisms, including skipping meals, withdrawing children from school, and arranging early marriages.
The report also pointed to significant barriers in accessing healthcare, noting a severe shortage of women health workers. Combined with mobility constraints and financial difficulties, these shortages have contributed to worsening maternal, reproductive, and mental health outcomes.
The long-term consequences of educational restrictions on women — particularly for those in the health sector — have further compromised nutrition services, the report said. Pregnant and lactating women are especially at risk of malnutrition due to inadequate dietary intake and lack of care.
UN Women also warned that Afghan women and girls are increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence, early marriage, and displacement. Restrictions on civil documentation and limited participation in community decision-making have further marginalized them.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, human rights organizations estimate that the group has issued more than 100 decrees restricting women’s rights, including their access to education, employment, and health services.