Afghan Women’s Rights Under Siege: Severe Economic Impact of Taliban Work Bans

Afghan women are facing severe economic challenges and are being deprived of their rights to work and education under Taliban rule. Their situation is increasingly alarming.

Afghan Women Affected by Work Bans; Millions Face Economic Crisis

Afghan women are grappling with significant economic hardships and a lack of access to job opportunities in the current regime. The United Nations has raised alarms about the severe poverty impacting 400 million women and girls globally, specifically highlighting that the plight of Afghan women is particularly dire.

Head of households in Bamiyan and Balkh provinces have shared their daily struggles to meet basic life necessities. They report that the ban on work and social activities has turned providing for their families into a significant challenge.

International Reports on the Status of Afghan Women

According to a report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) released in August 2026, the Afghan job market has undergone serious changes, with the country exhibiting the lowest levels of women’s participation in the global workforce. Additionally, the UN Women’s agency predicts that the economic losses resulting from the ban on women’s work between 2024 and 2026 will amount to $920 million, or 5.8% of the country’s GDP.

Since regaining control of Afghanistan in 2021, the current government has first revoked the right to education for girls above sixth grade and then prohibited women from working in both government and non-government organizations. Previously, UNESCO had also warned about the consequences of this trend, stating that its continuation until 2066 could lead to significant economic damage amounting to $9.6 billion.