Afghanistan Women’s Rights Watch-AWRW has released its new report titled “Comprehensive Report on the Violation of the Rights of Women and Girls in Afghanistan (2021–2024).” The report provides a detailed, evidence-based, and analytical assessment of the situation of women and girls since the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021.

Following the Taliban’s takeover, women and girls have been systematically excluded from education, employment, political participation, and public life. More than 126 restrictive decrees and directives have been issued targeting women’s fundamental rights. Secondary and higher education for girls has been banned, women have been prohibited from working in most government and non-governmental sectors, their freedom of movement has been severely restricted, and even their presence and voices in public spaces have been criminalized.

Key Findings from the Report:

  • Over 2.5 million girls have been deprived of access to education.

  • 94% of employed women have lost their jobs.

  • Female unemployment increased from 25% in 2021 to 67% in 2024.

  • Cases of gender-based violence, forced marriage, femicide, and suicide have significantly increased.

  • No women hold positions within the Taliban’s governing structure, and women-led civil society organizations have been shut down.

The report is structured in 11 chapters and examines violations across education, employment, social freedoms, healthcare, political and civil rights, and gender-based violence. It also analyzes the psychological, social, and economic impacts of these policies, documents national and international reactions, and presents practical recommendations for governments, international organizations, and civil society actors.

This report is based on verified sources including United Nations reports, international human rights organizations, independent media analyses, and documented testimonies from inside Afghanistan.

The purpose of this report is not only to document violations but to amplify the voices of millions of Afghan women whose rights, dignity, and futures are under systematic threat.

Afghanistan Women’s Rights Watch calls on international organizations, governments, human rights institutions, media outlets, and global civil society to take urgent and coordinated action to address this ongoing humanitarian and human rights crisis.

The full report is available here