Three years after the Taliban barred women from working in non-governmental organisations, many women say the restrictions have deepened economic hardship for families that once relied on female breadwinners.
On Dec. 24, 2022, the Taliban’s economy ministry ordered domestic and international NGOs to suspend female staff, extending earlier bans that had already excluded women from most government jobs.
Women who had supported their households say the loss of income has pushed many families into poverty.
“Women should not be confined to their homes,” said a Kabul resident who asked not to be named for security reasons. “They should be allowed to work as teachers, in offices and in institutions.”
Rights advocates say the ban has had severe consequences for households headed by women, with some families struggling to afford food and basic necessities.
A recent report by the United Nations sanctions monitoring team criticised Taliban policies toward women, saying nine out of 10 Afghan women have been excluded from employment, education or skills training, contributing to exceptionally high unemployment.
The United Nations has estimated that restrictions on women cost Afghanistan more than $1 billion a year in lost economic output.
“Many women who were heads of households are now living in extremely difficult conditions,” said Fatima Farahmand, a women’s rights activist. “Even educated women are sitting at home, unable to work.”
Another civil society activist, Zuhal Rad, called for the restrictions to be lifted, warning of long-term social and economic damage if the bans continue.
The measures have since expanded. More than three months ago, Taliban authorities also barred Afghan women from working for U.N. agencies, further disrupting humanitarian operations.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban to reverse the bans, saying restrictions on female staff undermine the delivery of life-saving aid to women and children.
Taliban officials have defended the measures as consistent with their interpretation of Islamic law but have not responded to recent requests for comment on calls to ease the restrictions.
