The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has led to the systematic rollback of women’s rights, especially in education and employment, which threatens the country’s social and economic future. Abida Bano shares in her write-up that Afghan women had made significant progress during the democratic era (2001–2021), and excluding them from public life under the current regime risks irreversible harm to Afghanistan’s development. The essay calls for urgent, unified global pressure on the Taliban to restore women’s rights and emphasizes the need for both international and local efforts to support Afghan women until their full participation is regained.
A powerful analysis of what’s at stake and why the global community must act.