Afghan Women Demand Job Opportunities Amid Rising Poverty and Unemployment

A growing number of Afghan women are under intense pressure due to poverty and unemployment, and they are calling for the creation of suitable job opportunities. They are appealing to aid organizations for support.

Afghan Women Face Serious Challenges Due to Poverty and Unemployment

Women from various provinces in Afghanistan are voicing their struggles stemming from poverty and joblessness. As heads of their households, many have turned to labor-intensive jobs after losing their employment to make ends meet.

Economic Strain on Female Breadwinners

A woman from Kunar province told Radio Free Europe that she used to work in the Department of Women’s Affairs but is now unemployed and has had to take up agricultural work to support her family. She remarked: “Before, I was able to easily provide for my family’s needs, but now I am facing numerous challenges.”

Another woman, Manaki, who heads a family of 15 in Nangarhar, described the severe economic hardships they endure, stating: “We have no one to help us, nor anything to meet our needs. Sometimes we go days without food.”

Work and Educational Restrictions

Other women are also complaining about the restrictions imposed by the Taliban. Anki, a woman from Badakhshan who previously worked for a foreign organization, expressed her dissatisfaction over the ban on her employment. She told Radio Free Europe: “My work has stopped because of the restrictions, and now I find myself unemployed.”

International Assistance Needed, Particularly for Female Heads of Households

These women are reaching out to aid organizations for help and suggest that they support impoverished families, especially those led by women, in areas such as food provisions and health services. According to international reports, 78% of Afghan women have been deprived of education and employment, a rate four times higher than that of men.

They indicate that the current economic situation not only complicates their ability to provide for their families but has also severely impacted access to medical and health services. Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban government, had not responded to inquiries at the time of publication.