UN decries Taliban actions against Afghan women, girls

The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the Taliban's actions against women and girls in Afghanistan since their takeover in August 2021. The UN has denounced the implementation of over 100 decrees that limit women's and girls' rights, particularly in areas such as work, freedom of movement, and education, describing it as "institutionalised discrimination".

The exclusion of females from educational institutions, employment opportunities, public life, justice systems, and healthcare has led to a worsening of the "world's most severe women's rights crisis", according to UN Women. The UN agency highlighted that the restrictions, coupled with shorter life expectancies, higher maternal death rates, increased prevalence of child marriage, and gender-based violence, have also sparked a mental health crisis.

According to the UN, half of the women surveyed by the body stated they leave their homes only once or twice a month and feel unsafe outside in the absence of a male guardian, indicating a significant erosion of fundamental rights. UNESCO estimates that as of 2026, 2.4 million girls are still barred from secondary education, effectively undoing two decades of progress in enhancing access to education.

The agency firmly stated that Afghanistan is the sole country globally to formally prohibit access to education for girls and women beyond the primary level. The UN further reported that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan is experiencing widespread human rights violations, detention, and discrimination against women and girls, with a notable lack of public information regarding ongoing investigations or measures to hold perpetrators accountable.

The UN Assistance Mission underlined the urgent need for the Afghan authorities to bolster accountability mechanisms across all security institutions, aligning their practices with international standards.