The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) has recently announced that since the return to power of the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, Afghan women and girls have been facing unprecedented restrictions on their rights, freedoms, and dignity.
In a report released day (Sunday, October 26), the organization stated that, according to the Afghanistan Gender Index 2024, nearly eight out of every ten young Afghan women are deprived of education, employment, and training opportunities — a figure four times higher than that of men.
The report indicates that Afghanistan has the second-widest gender gap in the world, with a 76% disparity between women and men in the areas of health, education, and decision-making.
The Afghanistan Gender Index 2024 report, financially supported by the European Union, assesses the status of women across five key dimensions: life and health, education and skills, employment and financial participation, participation in decision-making, and freedom from violence.
UN Women also warned that Afghanistan’s development will continue to decline unless the entire population — especially women — is empowered.
This criticism comes as the current authorities, since taking control of Afghanistan, have systematically banned women and girls from education and schooling. In their latest restriction, they closed the doors of medical institutes to female students — even though the health sector across Afghanistan suffers from a severe shortage of personnel.
As a result of these measures, millions of school-age girls have been deprived of education.
In addition, women have been barred from entering gyms, restaurants, and public bathhouses, from being examined by male doctors, from traveling without a male guardian, and from working with national and international NGOs — including UN offices in Afghanistan.
