UN Report: 80% of Afghan Women Denied Education and Work

UN Report: 80% of Afghan Women Denied Education and Work
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A new report by UN Women has revealed an alarming deterioration in women’s rights in Afghanistan, describing the situation as the “most severe globally” in terms of restrictions and deprivation. According to the report, 80% of Afghan women and girls are barred from education, employment, or even vocational training. Women’s participation in the workforce remains critically low, at just 24%.

The report comes as the Taliban continues to enforce systematic policies that curtail women’s freedoms, nearly four years after returning to power. The group has issued over 80 decrees and edicts banning women from attending universities, working in most sectors, and even entering certain public spaces.

Despite these harsh restrictions, the report highlighted what it called a “quiet but strong resistance” led by Afghan women across the country. Many have resorted to launching small home-based businesses, offering informal education in private homes, or supporting humanitarian initiatives behind the scenes.

The “2024 Gender Index” cited by the report shows that 80% of young Afghan women are neither studying, working, nor receiving any form of training — a trend with potentially devastating long-term social and economic consequences.

The UN stressed that these policies represent not only a blatant violation of human rights but also pose a serious threat to Afghanistan’s social and economic stability. It urged the international community to maintain pressure on the Taliban to restore women’s fundamental rights, particularly in education, employment, and public life.