Gendered Governance in Afghanistan: Examining the Taliban’s Impact on Women’s Rights Since 2021

Abstract

Afghanistan has seen an unprecedented setback for the rights and freedoms of women and girls with the Taliban taking over the country in August 2021. In just a few months, the de facto government systematically removed all of the legal, educational, political, economic and social opportunities that women had gained in the past 20 years. A ban on secondary and higher education was observed for girls, women were denied access to many formal and informal jobs, and there were strict restrictions placed on movement and public participation. It has profoundly affected the lives of women and girls nationwide psychologically, economically and socially. As per the Taliban’s harsh interpretation of Islamic Sharia, women must cover all parts of their body which is actually known as hijab. The Taliban haven't enacted any formal law other than that it would be in line with Islamic “principles.” These ambiguous pronouncements have created a general misunderstanding of what Islamic “principles” are as people of different Islamic faiths have various understanding of Islamic teachings.