A recent United Nations report has described Afghan women and girls as the “largest forgotten asset”, emphasizing their silent but persistent resistance amid one of the world’s most repressive gender environments.
Despite facing sweeping restrictions under Taliban rule, Afghan women continue to stand firm against injustice, finding quiet ways to support each other, create change, and remain visible in a society determined to erase them.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women and girls have been systematically excluded from education, employment, and public life. Secondary schools and universities for girls have been shut down, employment in NGOs and international organizations has been banned for women, and severe limitations on movement and expression have been enforced.
The UN report warns that the suppression of women is not only a violation of human rights but a major obstacle to Afghanistan’s development. It argues that no society can progress while silencing half its population.
“This is more than oppression—it’s the deliberate erasure of hope, potential, and progress,” the report states.
Even so, thousands of Afghan women continue to resist in silence—with their eyes, their pens, and their presence. Though their voices have been muted, their struggle echoes loudly as a call for justice.
The report concludes with a powerful appeal for global solidarity, stating that the future of Afghan women depends on urgent international attention and meaningful action.
