KABUL: Afghan women and girls say their lives have changed beyond recognition five years after the Taliban returned to power, as restrictions on education, employment, movement and healthcare continue to shape their daily lives.
Women from across Afghanistan told the media that poverty and restrictions had forced many to abandon their education, careers and ambitions.
Afghanistan remains the only country where girls are officially barred from secondary and higher education. Around 2.6 million girls are unable to attend school beyond Grade 6, according to UNICEF.
Only seven percent of Afghan women are employed, according to the United Nations, following restrictions on numerous workplaces and fields of study.
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One woman, Shakiba, said she had completed her secondary education online, but her ambition of becoming a pilot now appeared impossible. Former news anchor Zuhal said Taliban orders had forced her from a career that had become part of her identity.
Other women described harsher experiences. Shaima said she was publicly whipped 50 times, while Manizha said she received 39 lashes over a relationship with a man before being imprisoned.
Restrictions affecting healthcare have also raised concerns in a country with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates.
Others urged the international community to continue supporting Afghan women’s access to education and employment.
