RASC News Agency: A recent report by the “Journalists Support Organization” sheds light on an online survey evaluating the status of women’s rights in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The findings reveal that 62.6% of women in the country have either been victims of violence, witnessed it, or experienced the deprivation of their fundamental rights. This survey, designed to capture the views of Afghanistani women regarding their rights and social conditions both within and outside Afghanistan, involved 107 participants. Among them, 91 women reside in 19 provinces of Afghanistan, while 17 are based in other countries.
According to the survey, 37% of respondents stated that their rights had not been violated. However, a significant portion of those reporting violations expressed feelings of insecurity, citing fear and their inability to provide evidence of their experiences in the face of widespread repression. The report further reveals that 93.5% of participants have observed a “deterioration in human rights conditions” over the past six months, with 92.5% predicting that the situation will worsen in the coming six months.
The “Journalists Support Organization” highlights that the Taliban’s return to power has drastically rolled back women’s rights in Afghanistan. Within weeks of their takeover, the Taliban swiftly implemented policies that severely curtailed the freedoms of women and girls. The report underscores the imposition of stringent restrictions on women’s employment, especially in the media. Women have been largely barred from most jobs outside the home, except for a few positions in healthcare and education, where female workers are deemed essential.
The organization also notes that women who previously held positions in government, the media, and civil society organizations have been forced to abandon their careers. One survey respondent remarked: “I am a journalist, and my husband, who worked as a national security officer during the Republic, is now also unemployed. We sit at home with our four children, powerless. The situation for women and girls in Afghanistan worsens by the day. Economic hardship, forced marriages, and social restrictions are endangering the lives of young girls.” The organization stresses that the exclusion of women from the workforce not only violates their basic human rights but also deprives Afghanistan of a critical segment of its labor force, hindering the country’s development and reconstruction.
The report concludes that in recent years, particularly following the Taliban’s resurgence, Afghanistan’s situation has worsened significantly. Draconian restrictions have been imposed on women’s rights, especially in the domains of education, employment, and public life.
