{"id":14220,"date":"2025-07-20T09:04:17","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T09:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=14220"},"modified":"2025-07-20T09:04:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T09:04:17","slug":"afghan-women-trapped-between-recognition-repression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=14220","title":{"rendered":"Afghan women, trapped between recognition & repression"},"content":{"rendered":"
Zarghuna Safai*, a 20-year-old resident of Kabul, was a second-semester student at a local medical institute when the Taliban barred women and girls from studying in medical training centres across Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

She had enrolled to pursue a diploma in midwifery, a profession she chose with a clear goal: to serve Afghan communities, particularly women and children, who are increasingly vulnerable in a country grappling with a deteriorating healthcare system. \u201cThe rates of maternal and infant mortality are alarmingly high,\u201d she said, \u201cand without skilled female medical professionals, those numbers will only continue to rise.\u201d<\/p>\n

But her ambitions were abruptly cut short when the Taliban\u2019s Ministry of Health ordered all medical institutions to shut their doors to female students. Safai recalls the day the news broke and how quickly her dreams unravelled. \u201cWhen the institute closed to women, I and many of my classmates felt hopeless. Some of us are now struggling with mental health issues, constantly worried about our future, which feels more uncertain than ever,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

This ban was formalised in December 2024, when the Taliban government officially prohibited women\u2019s enrolment in medical training programs such as midwifery, nursing, dentistry and medical laboratory sciences. The move added another layer to a string of systematic restrictions aimed at erasing women from public life in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

These developments come at a time when the Taliban are seeking international legitimacy. In a controversial diplomatic move, Russia became the first country to officially recognise the Taliban government.<\/p>\n

Breaking the diplomatic ranks<\/p>\n

On July 3, 2025, the Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported that Moscow had formally recognised the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan \u2014 the name the Taliban use for their regime. That same day, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko accepted the diplomatic credentials of Gul Hassan, the Taliban\u2019s newly appointed ambassador to Russia.<\/p>\n

The decision sparked widespread outrage among Afghan women both inside the country and in the diaspora. Many view it as a betrayal of justice and a step that could embolden the Taliban to further tighten their grip on Afghan society, especially its women.<\/p>\n

Talking about the diplomatic development, Shinkai Karokhail, a veteran Afghan women’s rights activist currently based in Canada, expressed deep concern over the consequences of Russia\u2019s recognition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Taliban are already politically isolated on the global stage. For them, this recognition is a major diplomatic victory,\u201d she said. \u201cBut for Afghan women, who are already living under extreme restrictions, it is a devastating blow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Karokhail believes Russia\u2019s move could have a ripple effect across the region. \u201cAfter Moscow, other regional powers might be tempted to follow suit and establish formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban, ignoring the regime\u2019s repressive policies and human rights violations,\u201d she warned.<\/p>\n

She also pointed out the potential economic fallout. \u201cMany Western countries that provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan \u2014 including aid for education, health, agriculture, and food security \u2014 may now reconsider or reduce their support,\u201d she said. \u201cRussia and China, even if they increase their engagement, do not have the capacity to replace this aid. The Afghan people will suffer, especially women and children.\u201d<\/p>\n

The international community has so far withheld recognition of the Taliban regime due to its failure to form an inclusive government, its systematic repression of women, and its continued violation of international human rights obligations. Russia\u2019s move has broken the international consensus and weakened the leverage the global community had in pressuring the Taliban to change.<\/p>\n

The Taliban regime remains unrecognised by the [wider] international community because of its non-inclusive governance, severe restrictions on women\u2019s rights and the ban on girls\u2019 education,\u201d Karokhail emphasised. \u201cBy officially legitimising the Taliban, Russia has broken that global consensus, posing yet another threat to the future of Afghan women,\u201d the veteran women’s rights activist lamented.<\/p>\n

Seeds of a long-term crisis<\/p>\n

Since the Taliban\u2019s return to power on August 15, 2021, following the withdrawal of United States and NATO forces, the regime has steadily rolled back women\u2019s rights. In September 2021, girls were barred from attending school beyond the sixth grade. Later, universities were declared off-limits to women, followed by a ban on female employment in both public institutions and NGOs. The Taliban have justified these bans by citing their interpretation of Islamic law, a claim widely disputed by Islamic scholars across the Muslim world.<\/p>\n

The consequences of these policies extend far beyond gender discrimination. A United Nations report estimates that the economic cost of excluding women from the workforce is approximately $1 billion annually, nearly five per cent of Afghanistan\u2019s total GDP. The country now ranks 177th out of 177 on the Georgetown Institute\u2019s Women, Peace and Security Index, making it the worst place in the world to be a woman.<\/p>\n

For Afghan women like Shamla Niazai, a journalist now living in exile, Russia\u2019s decision is especially heartbreaking. \u201cBy refusing to recognise their government, the international community was applying pressure on the Taliban to safeguard the rights of women and to allow them access to education and employment,\u201d she said. \u201cThat pressure gave hope to Afghan women. A hope that has now been shattered by Russia\u2019s decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Niazai warned that the long-term effects of bans on girls\u2019 and women\u2019s education would be catastrophic for public health. \u201cIf these bans continue, Afghanistan will not have enough trained female doctors, nurses, or paramedics. That means more women and children will die from preventable causes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She also raised concerns about forced migration. \u201cMany families, even those with limited means, will try to leave the country so their daughters can get an education. If the Taliban will not change their policies, people will leave \u2014 not just for opportunity, but for survival.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Silenced, unemployed<\/p>\n

The media landscape in Afghanistan has also been deeply impacted. After the fall of Kabul, many independent news outlets either shut down or drastically scaled back their operations. Female journalists have been among the worst hit.<\/p>\n

Mujda Azizi, a Kabul-based reporter, lost her job soon after the Taliban takeover due to funding cuts and the regime\u2019s repressive media policies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t just a job for me. It was how I supported my entire family,\u201d she said. \u201cNow, only a handful of women remain in media organisations, and most of us cannot find work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her experience is echoed by others. Kashmala Ahmadzai*, another journalist still living in Afghanistan, said women\u2019s mobility has been severely curtailed.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder the previous government, we could go shopping, visit tourist spots or go to beauty salons. That\u2019s all gone now,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re confined to our homes. Our public existence is vanishing.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU), 255 of the country\u2019s 665 media outlets have closed since August 2021. This has left over 7,000 media professionals unemployed, including more than 2,000 women. A 2024 survey by the AIJU found that around 4,808 media professionals are still working in Afghanistan \u2014 including 744 women \u2014 but under increasingly difficult conditions. Despite the emergence of 40 new media outlets under the Taliban, most are subject to intense censorship, financial limitations and restrictive cultural policies.<\/p>\n

Ahmadzai also noted that since the Taliban banned girls\u2019 education, cases of early-age marriages have risen across the country. \u201cThese are girls who should be in school, developing their minds and dreams. Instead, they\u2019re being married off \u2014 and that will have a lasting impact on their mental health and their future.\u201d<\/p>\n

A wider shift in the making?<\/p>\n

On July 4, just one day after Russia announced its recognition of the Taliban, the Chinese government publicly welcomed the decision. Observers believe this may be the start of a broader shift in regional diplomacy.<\/p>\n

Sher Hasan, a Moscow-based Afghan political analyst, said that Russia has maintained informal relations with the Taliban for years. \u201cEven when United States and NATO troops were stationed in Afghanistan, Russia kept its channels open,\u201d he said. \u201cMoscow viewed Western presence in the region as a security threat \u2014 one that could escalate drug trafficking and militant activity in its neighbouring states.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, as both Russia and the Taliban face international sanctions, Hasan believes they are seeking to strengthen bilateral ties as a strategy to mitigate shared vulnerabilities. \u201cThey see mutual benefit, especially in combating drug trade and cross-border militancy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The elusiveness of wider acceptance<\/p>\n

However, recognition by a few regional powers is unlikely to prompt widespread acceptance. \u201cUnless Western nations \u2014 particularly the United States \u2014 change their stance, Pakistan and many others are unlikely to move toward recognition,\u201d Hasan added.<\/p>\n

Karokhail echoed this point, urging regional actors to remember their international responsibilities. \u201cYes, countries have national interests,\u201d she said. \u201cBut they have also signed human rights conventions and treaties. They have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that Afghanistan doesn\u2019t become a black hole for human dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

For their part, the Taliban insist that girls\u2019 education in Afghanistan is a domestic matter and that human rights are being upheld under \u2018Sharia and national law\u2019. In public statements, the regime has claimed that the media is free and that women’s rights are being protected \u2014 assertions widely contradicted by reports from inside the country.<\/p>\n

As Afghan women face increasing restrictions, loss of livelihoods, and isolation from the world, many continue to speak out at great personal risk, hoping their voices will still reach those in power.<\/p>\n

*Names have been changed to ensure safety of sources<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Zarghuna Safai*, a 20-year-old resident of Kabul, was a second-semester student at a local medical institute when the Taliban barred women and girls from studying in medical training centres across Afghanistan. She had enrolled to pursue a diploma in midwifery, a profession she chose with a clear goal: to serve Afghan communities, particularly women and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14220"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14220\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}