Afghan women tell the BBC their lives are unrecognisable after five years of Taliban rule

What the report says

Afghan women and girls have described to BBC Afghan how life has changed after five years of Taliban rule, with accounts of lost education, barred jobs, restricted movement and limited access to healthcare. The BBC said it spoke with women in Kabul and other parts of the country, where many used pseudonyms because they feared reprisals. The reporting comes as the Taliban mark five years since their return to power in 2021, after the collapse of the US-backed government.

The article says the Taliban have excluded girls over 12 from school, limited travel without a male guardian and maintained rules that affect women across daily life. It also notes Afghanistan is the only country where girls are officially banned from secondary and higher education. In response, Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told the BBC that women are not fully banned from all aspects of life and pointed to girls attending schools and madrassas, as well as women in business and public service.

Women interviewed by the BBC described the personal toll of these restrictions. Some said they lost careers in media or other fields, while others spoke about public floggings, jail, and family trauma. The story also highlights broader context from international agencies: the United Nations says only a small share of women are employed, and maternal health remains a serious concern where women may struggle to access care from male doctors.

Despite the hardship, several women told the BBC they still hope for change and urged the international community to keep attention on Afghan women’s rights, education and work.