Since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021, Afghanistan has become the only nation globally to formally prohibit women and girls from accessing secondary and higher education. The restrictions have expanded significantly over the past five years, with women largely excluded from the civil service and most employment sectors. According to UNICEF projections, the country faces a potential loss of 20,000 female teachers and 5,400 health-care workers by 2030, with the economic impact of these policies estimated at $84 million annually.

Despite the risks of arrest, torture, and violence, Afghan women have maintained a consistent campaign for their rights. Resistance has manifested through public protests and the establishment of clandestine, home-based schools. Research from Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security indicates that as of June 2026, the Taliban had issued 264 decrees affecting human rights, 166 of which specifically target women and girls.

International efforts to address these human rights violations remain divided. While the UN-led Doha process seeks to reintegrate Afghanistan into the global community, critics like former Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission chairperson Sima Samar argue that excluding women from these talks risks legitimizing the Taliban's policies. Conversely, some UN representatives advocate for continued, pragmatic engagement to foster incremental progress.

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In September 2024, a coalition including Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands initiated a move to hold the Taliban accountable under the UN convention against discrimination against women (CEDAW). However, two years later, the case has yet to reach the International Court of Justice. Observers have noted a lack of the procedural urgency seen in similar international legal actions, such as the case against Syria regarding torture.

For many Afghan women, the current situation is a recurring trauma. The ongoing exclusion from public life continues to stifle the potential of millions of adolescent girls, leaving the international community to grapple with the effectiveness of its diplomatic and legal responses.

Source: The Conversation