GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AT HOME HAS ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED AND MOST WOMEN HAVE BEEN MENTALLY DISTURBED BY THESE CHANGES

I’m a 24-year-old student who was in my last semester of computer science studies at a university in Afghanistan. However, due to ban on women in universities, I’m at home now.

Before the Taliban takeover, I also worked for different NGOs, international NGOs and government.

Before the ban of 24 December, I was working as a zone manager for a Chamber of Commerce but after the ban I’m at home with no future hope.

In the last year, we have witnessed a lot of changes. Girls have been deprived of their secondary and higher education rights. Women and girls have been deprived of their employment rights, which has a very negative impact on families. Most of the women were the only breadwinners of their families and they’ve faced economic crises.

For me, the most important issue has been the ban on girls’ secondary and higher education and the ban against women working in INGOs and NGOs. We all know and believe that Islam has given women the right to work. Most women are heads of households, and they were the only income-generators for their families, but the Taliban took those opportunities from them, which is very disappointing and unacceptable for us.

Since the Taliban takeover, I continued my job wearing a proper hijab. But over the year, the Taliban announced different decrees against women. And after the 24 December ban, I have not been working but sitting at home with no hope for the future. We are really suffering.

The international community must stand behind Afghan women. They should support us in this dark phase of our lives. We women don’t want to lose our 20 years of achievements and gains.