Today, Afghanistan is among the most restrictive countries in the world for women, according to human rights monitors. When the Taliban returned to power in the country in August 2021, women were among the most profoundly affected. Some went into hiding, fearing retribution, and others protested in the streets.
While the end of fighting offered a welcome respite, particularly for women in rural areas, others’ lives have been severely constricted. Many watched 20 years of gains
made under Western occupation unravel as the new government issued edict after edict scrubbing women from public life. Girls are barred from secondary schools. Women are prohibited from traveling any significant distance without a male relative, and from going to public spaces like gyms and parks. In recent months, women were banned from attending universities and from working for aid organizations, some of the last hopes left for professional or public lives. But the most profound change is invisible: It is the storm of loss, grief and rage that has enveloped the city’s women, they say.
We spoke with dozens of women across the country to understand how their lives and Afghan society have changed over the past year and a half. Tap the link in our bio to hear from these women.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/08/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-women.html