A former teacher in Afghanistan’s Panjshir province says that the Taliban’s tightening restrictions on women since their return to power have forced her out of work.
Nahid Masoudi, who once taught schoolgirls and supported their ambitions, described her uncertain future and called on the international community and the UN not to overlook the plight of Afghan women.
Taliban have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, a policy that has affected over 1.5 million girls nationwide. Masoudi, who taught in Bazarak district, is now confined to her home as a result.
The Taliban recently issued a decree that cut the salaries of all female government employees who are unable to work due to restrictions, reducing their pay to 5,000 Afghanis (around $50) a month.
“With the Taliban’s arrival, teaching was taken from us, and we became confined to our homes. Now we’re limited to household chores,” Masoudi said. “The Taliban’s system has turned religion into a tool, imposing laws based on their own beliefs. Each day, women’s rights are eroded further. Knowledge, politics, society, economy, culture—everything has been stripped from society, and the restrictions against us are increasing daily.”
Masoudi called on the international community and the UN to amplify the voices of Afghan women. “I urge the world, the international community, and the UN to hear the voices of Afghan women and the oppressed. We need an inclusive government, one where Afghan men, women, and all ethnic groups have a role.”
Several other women in Panjshir also shared similar concerns. Many, whose husbands or family members served in the former Afghan military, now face severe economic hardship. Najla, another Panjshir resident, explained the impact of the restrictions: “These past three years have been the worst of my life. I used to have a job, but now I can’t work. My father, who was with the previous government, is also unemployed. None of us can go out due to security issues.”
Human rights organizations have repeatedly voiced concerns about the Taliban’s human rights abuses, especially in Panjshir, where restrictions on women continue to deepen.
