On 30 December 2024, the Taliban imposed a sweeping ban prohibiting all national and foreign NGOs from employing women in Afghanistan, warning that noncompliance could result in the revocation of operating licenses. This report highlights ten compelling cases from 2024 that illustrate the Taliban’s ongoing crackdown on women employees, particularly in the healthcare and education sectors. These cases underscore a troubling pattern of erasing women’s rights and dismantling opportunities for their professional growth.
#1 Taliban Bans NGOs From Employing Women In Afghanistan
In December 2024, the Taliban announced a ban on national and foreign NGOs employing women in Afghanistan, warning that noncompliance would lead to license revocation. This came two years after a similar directive citing non-adherence to their interpretation of Islamic dress codes. Despite UN criticism of “gender apartheid” and reports of increasing obstruction of female humanitarian workers, the Taliban denies interference, claiming 9,000 work permits have been issued to women and justifying restrictions as necessary for upholding Afghan laws and norms.
#2 Taliban Enforces Ban On Windows Overlooking Women’s Spaces
In December 2024, the Taliban banned residential windows that overlooked areas where women worked, such as kitchens and courtyards, claiming such views could provoke “obscene acts.” Existing windows in these areas were asked to be blocked, and authorities were tasked with enforcing the rule, encouraging residents to build walls to obstruct views. This is part of the Taliban’s broader crackdown on women’s rights since taking power in 2021, which includes bans on girls’ education, female employment, and public presence.
#3 Taliban Bans Private Education for Girls in Herat
In December 2024, the Taliban banned girls above sixth grade from attending private education centers in Herat, further tightening restrictions on female education. This directive followed previous bans on secondary and university education, leaving girls with no learning opportunities. Many girls turned to language and art programs as alternatives, but these too are now prohibited. The Taliban’s education director confirmed the ban, citing orders from their supreme leader.
#4 Taliban Prohibited Women From Singing or Reciting Poetry Publicly
In August 2024, the Taliban enacted a law banning women from singing or reciting poetry in public as part of its strict enforcement of Islamic law. The regulation also urged women to conceal their voices and bodies when outside their homes. Additionally, some local radio and TV stations have ceased airing female voices, further limiting women’s participation in public life.
#5 Ban On Shab-e-Yalda Celebrations
Since seizing power in Afghanistan, the Taliban implemented broad bans on cultural and traditional activities. Among these, they prohibited the celebration of Yalda Night, labeling it “forbidden” under their interpretation of Islamic law, which they claim does not permit such festivities.
Despite the Taliban banning Shab-e Yalda celebrations as “sinful,” Afghan women, in December 2024, marked the occasion as a symbol of resistance against oppression. Women’s movements and cultural groups organized private events, lighting candles and setting up traditional Yalda tables to honor the triumph of light over darkness. Protesters highlighted the Taliban’s suppression of cultural traditions and women’s rights, emphasizing Shab-e Yalda as a beacon of hope.
#6 Taliban Orders Female University Staff to Step Down
In December 2024, the Taliban mandated that female administrative staff at universities in Afghanistan step down within three days and nominate male replacements or face dismissal. The directive, issued on 8 December 2024 led to emotional scenes, particularly at Herat University, where female staff were seen crying after being pressured into signing documents agreeing to their removal.
#7 Taliban Bans Women from Medical Institutes, Closing Education Pathways
Earlier in December 2024, the Taliban issued a directive banning women from attending medical and semi-professional institutes, effectively closing one of the last options for higher education available to Afghan women. The ban follows the closure of universities to women in December 2022 and further restricts their access to professional training in healthcare. Afghanistan already faces a critical shortage of female medical professionals, and this policy is expected to worsen the country’s healthcare crisis.
#8 Taliban Shuts Down Women-Only Cafes In Herat
In November 2024, the Taliban began shutting down women-only cafes in Herat, Western Afghanistan, closing at least three such businesses in the past week. These cafes, which provided Afghan women with rare spaces to socialize, work, and regain financial independence, were shut down by the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The closures are part of the Taliban’s broader campaign to erase women from public life, following over 100 decrees that restrict women’s education, employment, and freedoms.
#9 Women in Public Offices Face Increased Restrictions Under Taliban Rule
In November 2024, women employed in public offices in Kabul began facing growing restrictions, including strict dress codes and lower salaries than their male counterparts. Many women who once worked under the former government lost their jobs entirely, while those still employed reported challenging conditions. In some sectors like security, education, and healthcare, women remained employed but had to deal with increasing pressure and economic hardship.
#10 Taliban Suspends Salaries of Female Teachers Amid Economic Strain
In July 2024, the Taliban suspended the salaries of female teachers, following a previous decree that capped their pay at 5,000 Afghanis ($70). This reduction, coupled with the salary suspension, left many teachers facing severe financial hardship. Teachers expressed concerns that this pay cut, which is insufficient to cover basic expenses such as transportation, rent, and family needs, would force them to leave their jobs.
#11 Herat Educational Centers Enforce Hijab Requirement for Girls
In July 2024, educational and health centers in Herat began enforcing a strict dress code, prohibiting girls from entering without a “prayer shawl” or a “chadur namaz“. Notices were posted at the entrances, warning girls that they would be denied entry unless they complied with the hijab requirement. Some students expressed frustration, seeing it as an infringement on personal choice.
#12 Taliban Leader Defends Public Floggings and Stonings of Women
In May 2024, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada defended the public flogging and stoning of women, including for adultery, in a recent audio message. He asserted that these punishments, which conflict with Western democratic values, are carried out under Sharia law, which he claims to represent. The Taliban’s judicial system has already implemented such punishments, including stoning, and Akhundzada’s statement suggests that this practice will continue.
#13 Taliban Deploys Dress Code Covering Face For Media Workers
In February 2024, the Taliban threatened to ban women media workers in Kabul who do not comply with a strict “modest dress code,” which includes wearing face veils that cover most of the face, leaving only the eyes visible. The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice suggested that Afghan women appearing on media should adhere to this guideline. Failure to comply could lead to a ban on women working in the media.
#14 Taliban Bans Educational Programs for Girls Above Grade Six on Local Media
In August 2024, the Taliban imposed a ban on educational programs for girls above grade six that were broadcast on local radio and television stations in Khost province, following orders from the Ministry of Education. This decision, which likely originated from Kabul, further restricted girls’ education after the Taliban suspended it in schools. Local media outlets, that relied on these educational broadcasts, faced financial challenges. The ban also prevents media from offering online courses and educational resources, significantly impacting both the education of girls and the media’s income sources.
#15 Taliban Separates Healthcare Hours For Men And Women In Badakhshan
In October 2024, in Badakhshan, the Taliban implemented a policy requiring men and women to visit the central hospital at different times. Women could only access healthcare during designated morning and afternoon hours, while men had to visit at separate times. The decision, enforced under pressure from local Taliban authorities, created difficulties for patients, especially those unable to attend during specific hours due to work or living conditions.
#16 Taliban Restricts Education for Girls Above Age 10 In Kandahar
In February 2024, in Kandahar, the Taliban imposed a directive preventing girls aged 10 and older from attending classes below the sixth grade. School principals were instructed to enforce this policy, which is part of the broader restrictions on girls’ education since the Taliban’s return to power. In addition to the school closures beyond the sixth grade, students in grades four to six are required to wear face coverings while commuting. This policy, which followed previous education bans for taller girls in various provinces, further limited educational opportunities for young girls in Afghanistan.
#17 Taliban Shuts Schools And Art Workshop In Kabul Over Girls’ Attendance
In March 2024, in Kabul, the Taliban closed several schools and an art workshop due to the enrollment of girls above the sixth grade. The “Fiqran Bartar” art workshop and three other educational centers in the Chahar Qala area were sealed by the Taliban’s Prohibition of Evil agents. They cited the reason as the presence of girls beyond the sixth grade.
#18 Taliban Closes Education Classes In Bamyan
In November 2024, the Taliban shut down all local education classes in Bamyan province, which UNICEF operated in collaboration with Watan Social and Technical Services (WSTA). These classes, located in remote areas, had provided education to hundreds of girls and boys previously unable to attend school. The closure deprived thousands of children of their education. Local families and teachers expressed concern, with some calling on UNICEF to pressure the Taliban to reopen the classes. The closure follows similar actions in southern provinces, further limiting access to education across Afghanistan.
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