New York, 17 June - Nearly four years after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, a new UN Women report reveals that Afghan women are falling significantly behind global standards for human development.
The Afghanistan Gender Index, the most comprehensive assessment of women's empowerment and gender equality since the Taliban took power, reveals that Afghanistan has the second-widest gender gap in the world, with a 76 per cent disparity between women's and men's outcomes in health, education, financial inclusion, and decision-making. The Index also shows that women, on average, are realizing just 17 per cent of their full potential to make choices and access opportunities, while on average, women worldwide achieve 60.7 per cent.
"Afghanistan's greatest resource is its women and girls," said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. "Their potential continues to be untapped, yet they persevere. Afghan women are supporting each other, running businesses, delivering humanitarian aid and speaking out against injustice. Their courage and leadership are reshaping their communities, even in the face of immense restrictions. We must stand with them in their pursuit of a country that reflects their rights and the aspirations of all Afghans."
According to UN Women's report, developed with financial support from the European Union, 78 per cent of young Afghan women are not in education, employment or training - nearly four times the rate for Afghan men. The secondary school completion rate for girls will soon collapse to zero, following bans on secondary and tertiary education - including in medical education - for girls and women.
Afghanistan still has one of the largest workforce gender gaps in the world, with only 24 per cent of women participating in the labour force, compared to 89 per cent of men. Women are more likely to work at home and in lower-paid, insecure jobs. Women also take on a greater share of unpaid domestic work: 74 per cent of women spent significant time doing household chores, compared to only 3 per cent of men.
The financial divide is equally stark, with men nearly three times more likely than women to own a bank account or use mobile money services, according to the new Index.
While general restrictions remain for women working, there are limited exemptions, and the report shows that Afghan women are still joining the workforce in record numbers, driven by protracted economic and humanitarian crises. According to the report, by 2022, the number of unemployed women actively seeking work had quadrupled compared to before the takeover, while the number of employed women had doubled.
No women hold positions in the de facto Cabinet or in local offices, a setback that impacts the ability of women to shape policies and laws affecting their lives. Despite being all but erased from public and political life, Afghan women still continue to push for inclusive governance and find ways to raise their concerns with authorities, at the national and subnational level.
This Index will help measure the evolution of gender equality in Afghanistan and will inform the work of national and international stakeholders to address the ongoing women's rights crisis. UN Women continues its work on the ground to ensure the priorities and needs of Afghan women and girls remain at the forefront of global response and they are able to live in dignity and contribute to the nation's development.
