Three years have passed since the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, and since then, the Taliban has controlled the country. Under Taliban rule, women’s rights have become almost nonexistent, as has the concept of a free press. Afghanistan’s economy plunged into a deep recession, and more than half of the population now requires humanitarian assistance.
The Taliban marked its three-year rule with a large parade at a former U.S. Air Force base. The celebration featured a display of U.S. military equipment, including helicopters, Humvees and tanks that were left behind during the withdrawal. More than 10,000 men attended the event, but women were barred from participating.
Women in Afghanistan are now excluded from nearly all areas of public life. If they leave their homes, they must be accompanied by a male relative. Girls are no longer permitted to attend school beyond the sixth grade and are banned from most jobs. Women are also required to wear full-body clothing that covers all but their eyes.
Alison Davidian, head of the U.N. Women’s Country Office in Afghanistan, said the situation has erased any progress made before the Taliban’s return.
“I’m not saying that three years ago it was perfect,” Davidian said. “It was not perfect. But it wasn’t this. We cannot leave Afghan women to fight alone. If we do, we have no moral ground to fight for women’s rights anywhere else. Their fate determines the fate of women everywhere.”
In response to the humanitarian crisis, the United Nations provided $3.8 billion in aid over the past three years. The United States contributed $3 billion towards that sum. However, a U.S. watchdog reported that much of this aid is taxed or diverted by the Taliban, complicating oversight.
Despite U.S. financial assistance, the Taliban aligned itself with Russia and China, the U.S.’ geopolitical adversaries. No country officially recognizes the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. With ongoing conflicts in Russia, Ukraine, and the Middle East, global attention on Afghanistan remains limited.
