UN Women has declared that Afghanistan faces an unprecedented women’s rights crisis. The 2024 Gender Index shows Afghan women access only 17.3 percent of their human rights, against a global average of 60.7 percent, ranking it second in gender inequality.
Total Exclusion
Women are shut out of public life: 8 of 10 young women lack education and jobs (four times the male rate). They are banned from many professions, restricted from traveling without a male guardian, and barred from public spaces.
A Future at Risk
Without women’s empowerment, Afghanistan’s progress will falter. The 2025 cut of $1.3 billion in global aid (including $562 million for Afghanistan) and the abrupt end to a $50 million scholarship fund—stranding 208 women—have deepened the crisis.
Humanitarian Crisis
The World Food Programme warns that this aid cut could be “a death sentence” for millions, especially women and children. The loss of $24 million in healthcare funding has closed clinics and stopped reproductive and food aid services.
Path to Hope
The 2024 Index is a blueprint for action. The UN has collaborated with 240 women-led groups, offering $4.5 million in support. The world must unite to uplift Afghan women’s courage.
Global Alert
Gender equality requires constant effort, not just achievement. The Taliban’s four-year “gender apartheid” policy has erased women’s rights, and despite international pressure, no change is forthcoming.
