Forbes Magazine has warned that under the shadow of a “gender apartheid regime,” the mental health of women and girls in Afghanistan has reached a breaking point.
In an article criticizing the silence surrounding the situation of Afghan women and girls, the magazine stated that this crisis will not end with silence—rather, it will intensify in silence and claim more lives.
Citing human rights organizations, Forbes reported that the rising restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan have led to an increase in suicide among them.
The return of the current government in August 2021 has been accompanied by a gradual revocation of the rights of women and girls. Over the past three years, the government has imposed significant restrictions on every aspect of women’s lives, including education, employment, movement in public spaces, and participation in social and political life.
The article adds that on May 1, 2025, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that the current government has enforced decrees aimed at removing women from public life and limiting their freedom of movement.
These restrictions have had a profound impact on the physical and mental health of women and girls throughout Afghanistan.
According to the 2024 report by the UN Women’s section, 68% of respondents knew at least one woman or girl suffering from anxiety or depression, and 8% said they knew at least one who had attempted suicide.
Marsalina Amin, founder of the “Girls Toward Leadership” organization, also warned: “The situation is so dire that even talking about it brings them to tears. They are in a cage—no education, no freedom of movement, no way to express themselves.”
Ms. Amin added: “The girls’ dreams—everything they once imagined—have been shattered. They don’t even have the words to describe what they’re going through. Every girl I’ve spoken with is suffering mentally, but she cannot talk about it.”
With women’s rights stripped away and international observers lacking access to the country, reporting on the situation in Afghanistan has become extremely difficult.
