Afghan Witness Reports

In late October, women showcased their academic documents in a Kabul park to protest the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s access to education and work. The women claim the Taliban intimidated them and tore their papers, and journalists were reportedly dispersed and temporarily detained. On November 3, it was reported that the Taliban detained one of the women protesters during a press conference.

In footage, a Taliban member can be seen striking the gathered students, who are recorded hitting and kicking the gates in protest.

Afghan Witness spoke to two women who planned to continue their studies in Qatar and Kyrgyzstan, but say the Taliban prevented them and other female students from boarding a Doha-bound flight. Both women's names have been changed to protect their identities.

Since the Taliban’s return last August, the group has demonstrated determination to regulate, shape, and control access to education in Afghanistan.

Afghan Witness assesses how the Taliban’s return has impacted women’s access to education and employment, their freedom of movement and dress, and their ability to access support services.

While the Taliban have said hijab is not compulsory, there have been widespread efforts to implement it.

While top posts came from several international figures, there was limited visibility of female campaigners inside Afghanistan

The statue was censored with black cloth, before being removed entirely

AW talks to five female students about the reality of attending university as women in the ‘new’ Afghanistan.

Following a ban on non-approved protests, women campaigners and journalists have been met with force on several occassions

Taliban forces deny detentions of female activists, but mobilise communications around hijab and traditional values

With most women's refuges shut down across the country, survivors of gender violence - and former employees - are left with nowhere to turn.