UN report warns of widening gender inequality in Afghanistan under Taliban rule

UN report warns of widening gender inequality in Afghanistan under Taliban rule
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A recently published report by the United Nations Women’s Division has highlighted a deepening gender crisis in Afghanistan, revealing that 80% of young Afghan women are currently denied access to education, vocational training, and employment.

The report attributes the worsening situation to policies imposed by the Taliban authorities, who regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led NATO forces and the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government.

According to the report, Afghanistan now ranks second globally for gender inequality, with a 76% gender gap across key areas such as health, education, economic participation, and decision-making. The report cites the Taliban’s ban on secondary and higher education for girls—including the prohibition of medical education for women—as a primary driver behind the increasing disparity.

As a result of these restrictions, the UN predicts that the secondary education completion rate for girls in Afghanistan is expected to drop to near zero. This regression threatens to erase two decades of progress in female education made prior to 2021. The report also highlights a substantial gender gap in labor force participation. Only 24% of Afghan women are employed, compared to 89% of men.

This disparity is reflective of structural barriers that hinder women’s economic independence and limit access to meaningful employment. Furthermore, Afghan women face major obstacles to financial inclusion. The report finds that women are nearly three times less likely than men to hold a bank account or access mobile financial services, further compounding their socio-economic vulnerability.

The UN Women’s Division has called on the international community to take urgent action, warning that the situation threatens not only human rights but also the long-term stability and development of Afghanistan. The report urges global actors to prioritize gender equality and Afghan women’s empowerment in humanitarian assistance and policy responses.

The ongoing crisis is part of the broader humanitarian and political fallout following the Taliban’s return to power, which has seen the imposition of strict gender-based restrictions and a rollback of civil liberties, especially for women and girls. The UN stresses that reversing these trends requires coordinated global support and sustained advocacy for Afghan women’s rights.