Taliban rule exposes marginalization of Afghan women in education and employment, according to UN's observation
The current status of women's rights to education and employment in Afghanistan is extremely restricted and deteriorated under the Taliban government. According to the United Nations (UN), over 78% of Afghan women are excluded from education, employment, or training.
Girls are banned from attending secondary or higher education, while women are barred from most jobs, including in civil society organizations. This exclusion has profound social and economic ramifications.
Regarding women in civil society organizations, about half of the female employees have lost their jobs this year due to reduced international funding, which has severely limited the capacity of these organizations to support women and girls. More than one-third of these organizations fear that continuing funding cuts might halt their outreach efforts entirely.
The Taliban government publicly asserts that Islam permits women to work, but simultaneously enforces edicts that ban women from most educational and employment opportunities. Their morality police enforce strict dress codes and restrictions on women’s public presence, creating a cycle of exclusion that confines women to private spaces and increases their vulnerability.
The UN Special Representative, Susan Ferguson, stated that women and girls are bearing the heaviest burden of declining international aid. She emphasized that the exclusion of women not only harms them personally, but also damages families, communities, and the country as a whole.
The UN remains committed to investing in organizations, businesses, and ensuring women's participation in international dialogues to safeguard their rights. The UN Special Representative, Susan Ferguson, added that half of female staff in civil society organizations have lost their jobs due to funding cuts.
This situation represents a near-complete erasure of women from Afghanistan’s public, educational, and economic life, with devastating consequences for women, families, and the country’s future. The UN's commitment includes ensuring women's participation in international dialogues to safeguard their rights.
[1] UN Women. (2022). Women, Peace and Security in Afghanistan. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2022/2/women-peace-and-security-in-afghanistan
[2] Human Rights Watch. (2022). Afghanistan: Taliban Must Allow Girls to Attend School. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/11/afghanistan-taliban-must-allow-girls-attend-school
[3] Amnesty International. (2022). Afghanistan: Women and girls must be allowed to access education. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/03/afghanistan-women-and-girls-must-be-allowed-to-access-education/
[4] World Bank. (2022). Afghanistan: Women's Participation in Education and the Labor Force. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/afghanistan/publication/afghanistan-womens-participation-in-education-and-the-labor-force
[5] United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. (2022). Women, Peace and Security in Afghanistan. Retrieved from https://unama.unmissions.org/women-peace-and-security-afghanistan
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