Gender alert no. 2: Women’s rights in Afghanistan one year after the Taliban take-over

The Taliban’s position on women’s rights has been central to its worldview and vision for society—from its first period of rule (1996–2001), its position at the peace table in Doha, and now, its contemporary practices and vision for Afghanistan.

This gender alert draws on secondary data published in the past year and insights from UN Women visits across provinces in 2022; the analysis has found that the Taliban has not substantively changed its position on women’s rights. Women are systematically excluded from public and political life and restricted in their access to education, humanitarian assistance, employment, justice, and health services. In short, women’s and girls’ lives and prospects are confined to the home.