Five Years of Taliban Rule: “Afghan Women Continue to Fight for Their Rights – Against All Odds”
15 August marks the fifth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power. How has the everyday reality of women and girls in Afghanistan changed over the past five years?
The past five years have been marked by an unprecedented and systematic dismantling of the rights of women and girls. Step by step, they have been pushed out of public life. Girls are banned from attending secondary school, women are excluded from higher education, their opportunities to work have been drastically restricted, and their freedom of movement is increasingly controlled.
What we are witnessing today goes far beyond isolated discriminatory measures. Laws, decrees and state control mechanisms work together to create a system that systematically excludes women from education, employment, political participation and public life. Many Afghan women’s rights activists therefore describe this reality as gender apartheid. The term makes clear that these are not isolated human rights violations, but an institutionalised system of exclusion and oppression based on gender.
What is particularly alarming is that this discrimination is becoming increasingly embedded in law. New regulations further restrict women’s access to protection, justice and essential services. Women experiencing domestic or conflict-related sexual violence often have little or no opportunity to seek support or report abuse. At the same time, changes to family law encourage child and forced marriage, depriving ever younger girls of their education and future prospects.
Women who stand up for human rights are also facing enormous risks. Women’s rights activists, journalists and civil society leaders live under constant threat. Many have been forced to stop their work, continue it underground or flee the country.
The consequences are profound. Our partner organisations tell us about fear, exhaustion and isolation, but also about the loss of economic independence and participation in society. Recently, I was deeply moved by the story of an Afghan journalist who received protection through one of our partner organisations. She told me: “Sometimes the sound of a simple knock on the door was enough to make my heart race and my body tremble.” Stories like hers show how closely physical safety, mental health and the ability to act are connected.
And yet, this is not the whole story. Through our collaboration with Afghan partner organisations, I continue to meet women who analyse what is happening in their country with remarkable clarity, stand up for one another and refuse to accept being made invisible. With extraordinary creativity and determination, they continue to support survivors and create space for hope and change, even under the most difficult circumstances. That, to me, is the true strength of Afghan women.
The Taliban are trying to erase women from public life. Is women’s rights work still possible under these conditions - and if so, how?
Yes, women’s rights work is still possible - but it looks fundamentally different from what it did five years ago and is carried out under enormous risk. Much of what once happened openly can now only take place in secret.
Women’s rights activists and our partner organisations work under constant surveillance, threats and personal danger. At the same time, they are struggling with severe funding cuts. Yet despite these challenges, they continue to find ways to support women and girls and sustain feminist networks.
What impresses me most is their creativity and political clarity. They develop solutions that are carefully adapted to this difficult context. For example, legal counselling for women affected by violence is often integrated into healthcare services or livelihood programmes, enabling women to access support without exposing themselves to additional risks.
Working alongside our partners has also taught me how essential safe spaces are. Spaces where women can share their experiences, support one another and realise they are not alone. Under conditions of violence and exclusion, these spaces foster trust, resilience, new strategies and, above all, hope.
I am equally inspired by the ways women cope with pain, loss and uncertainty. Through storytelling, culture, music and collective reflection, they build community and strengthen one another. These forms of collective care are far more than coping mechanisms - they are powerful acts of resistance.
Their work goes far beyond supporting individual women. Afghan women activists document human rights violations, bring the realities faced by women and girls to the attention of the international community, and advocate for justice and accountability.
Many push themselves to the limits of their strength. Time and again, I hear the same message from our partners: “We have to support women. We must not allow them to be forgotten.” Their unwavering commitment, despite all the dangers they face, continues to inspire me every single day.
Why International Solidarity Matters More Than Ever
Despite all this, Afghanistan is increasingly disappearing from the headlines, and international support is declining. What does this mean for women and girls?
Many of our Afghan partners tell us: “Repression is increasing while the world is looking away.” They describe a growing sense of being forgotten. That is a deeply worrying development.
As political attention fades, so too do the rights and concerns of Afghan women in the eyes of international decision-makers. At the same time, funding is shrinking—even though the need for support remains as urgent as ever, if not greater.
What concerns me most is the risk of gradual normalisation. The longer the Taliban remain in power, the greater the danger that the systematic oppression of women will come to be seen as the new normal. We must not allow that to happen.
International attention alone will not change the situation. But it is often the prerequisite for political pressure, for holding perpetrators accountable, and for ensuring that women’s rights organisations receive the support they urgently need.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. Millions of people rely on humanitarian assistance, and women and girls bear the heaviest burden of poverty, hunger and exclusion. That is why governments, international institutions and the media have a particular responsibility to keep Afghanistan on the international agenda.
medica mondiale has been working in Afghanistan for more than 25 years. How do you and your partner organisations support women and girls today—and why is this work more important than ever?
For more than 25 years, medica mondiale has worked alongside Afghan partner organisations. Our approach is not to impose solutions from the outside, but to strengthen feminist actors so they can continue their work and preserve their ability to act - even under today’s extremely challenging conditions.
Together with our partners, we support women and girls who have experienced violence by providing psychosocial care, protection, legal counselling and access to essential services. Because public women’s rights work has become almost impossible, this often requires creative approaches.
Another key area of our work is supporting women human rights defenders and activists. Together with our partner organisations, we provide emergency assistance, organise protection measures and psychosocial support, and stand alongside women who continue to defend the rights of others despite facing serious personal risks.
At the same time, we are investing in the future. Through initiatives such as the Lawyering Skills Program, young women are able to acquire legal knowledge and practical experience despite the Taliban’s education bans. In this way, our partners are helping to nurture a new generation of women who will continue to advocate for rights, justice and meaningful participation in society.
But there is something else that is just as important to me. Together, we create spaces where women can meet, learn from one another and build mutual support. In an environment shaped by control and isolation, these networks are invaluable. They provide a sense of belonging, strengthen mental well-being and enable women to share knowledge, experiences and strategies. Our training on trauma- and stress-sensitive approaches, as well as digital security training delivered by our partners, are just a few examples of this work.
In times of acute crisis, we also support our partners through our emergency response fund - for example following natural disasters or other humanitarian emergencies.
Today, this work is more important than ever. The more women are pushed out of public life, the more essential the spaces, relationships and networks they create for one another become. Feminist work in Afghanistan is therefore about much more than responding to violence. It is about protecting hope, strengthening solidarity and preserving the foundations for future social change.
What Must Happen Now
What should the German government and the international community do to better support women and girls in Afghanistan?
The rights of women and girls must be placed firmly at the centre of all policies on Afghanistan. There must be no political normalisation of a regime that systematically strips women of their rights and excludes them from public life.
At the same time, the international community must recognise that what is happening in Afghanistan is not a series of isolated human rights violations, but a comprehensive system of oppression. Many Afghan women’s rights activists describe this reality as gender apartheid. Their analysis and demands must be taken seriously and reflected in international debates and accountability processes. Existing mechanisms for investigating and prosecuting human rights violations must be fully utilised and strengthened to ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished.
Long-term, flexible support for local women's rights organisations is equally essential. Despite severe restrictions, they continue to support survivors of violence, create safe spaces, protect women human rights defenders and sustain feminist networks. Their work requires reliable political backing and sustainable financial support.
Afghan women must also be meaningfully included in all political processes concerning the future of their country. Decisions about Afghanistan cannot be made without those who live with the consequences every day and who have spent years defending the rights of women and girls.
Particular attention must also be paid to protecting women human rights defenders. Many continue to work under constant threat or live in exile under precarious conditions. They need effective protection mechanisms, safe pathways and long-term perspectives.
Ultimately, international solidarity means listening to Afghan women, recognising their expertise and acknowledging them not only as survivors of oppression, but as political actors and agents of change.
Hope Grows Where Women Stand Together
What can people in Germany do to support women and girls in Afghanistan?
Solidarity often begins with a simple but important choice: refusing to look away.
People in Germany can help ensure that the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan remains visible. They can amplify the voices of Afghan women, stay informed and support organisations that work closely with women’s rights activists on the ground. In doing so, they help sustain essential protection services and support structures.
It is equally important to maintain political pressure. The German government must continue to prioritise the rights of women and girls and ensure they are not sidelined by migration or security interests. This means providing long-term support to local women’s rights organisations, advocating for international accountability for human rights violations and ensuring that Afghan women are included in decisions about the future of their country.
We are deeply concerned that the systematic oppression of women and girls is gradually disappearing from public awareness, while the risk of normalising the Taliban continues to grow. That is why it is so important to consistently defend human rights principles and hold political leaders accountable.
Above all, I hope we can change the way we see Afghanistan. Afghan women are not simply victims of oppression. They are women human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers and activists. They analyse the realities of their country with remarkable clarity, develop solutions and continue to stand up for other women despite enormous personal risks.
The question is not whether Afghan women are raising their voices - they have been doing so for years. The real question is whether we are willing to listen, take their demands seriously and stand alongside them. That is where international solidarity begins.
