Afghan women have told the BBC that their lives are unrecognisable after five years of Taliban rule, describing public floggings, job losses and dangerous barriers to healthcare, while the UN warns that many women's aid organisations may soon collapse.
Key facts
- Afghan women told the BBC their lives are unrecognisable after five years of Taliban rule.
- Women reported public floggings, losing their jobs, and barriers to healthcare that endanger lives.
- UN Women warns more than half of women's organisations in Afghanistan could cease operating within the next year.
- The UN has urged support for Afghan women's aid five years into Taliban rule.
Afghan women have described their lives as unrecognisable after five years of Taliban rule, according to accounts gathered by the BBC. Women across the country spoke of public floggings, losing their jobs, and facing barriers to healthcare that they say endanger lives.
The testimony marks the passage of five years since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan. The BBC reported that women in different parts of the country shared similar experiences of restrictions affecting their work, safety and access to medical care.
Among the concerns raised were public floggings and the loss of employment, which women said had transformed daily life. Barriers to healthcare were described as particularly dangerous, with women reporting that restrictions put lives at risk.
Alongside the personal accounts, the United Nations has urged greater support for Afghan women’s aid as the anniversary of Taliban rule is reached. According to Al Jazeera, UN Women warned that more than half of women’s organisations operating in Afghanistan could cease operations within the next year.
The warning points to the fragility of services that many Afghan women rely on. If those organisations are forced to close, the support networks available to women could shrink significantly, according to the UN Women assessment reported by Al Jazeera.
Together, the accounts collected by the BBC and the UN’s appeal highlight the combined pressures facing Afghan women five years into Taliban rule, spanning personal safety, employment and access to essential services.
Why it matters
The accounts illustrate how five years of Taliban rule have reshaped daily life for Afghan women, affecting their safety, livelihoods and health. With the UN warning that many women's organisations may soon collapse, the support systems that remain could weaken further, deepening the challenges women already face.
Frequently asked questions
What did Afghan women tell the BBC about life under Taliban rule?
Women across Afghanistan told the BBC their lives are unrecognisable, describing public floggings, losing their jobs, and barriers to healthcare that endanger lives.
What has the UN warned about women's organisations in Afghanistan?
UN Women warned that more than half of women's organisations operating in Afghanistan could cease operations within the next year, and the UN has urged support for Afghan women's aid.
How long has the Taliban been in power in this reporting?
The reports mark five years of Taliban rule in Afghanistan.