Afghan Women Describe Unrecognisable Lives After Five Years of Taliban Rule

Afghan women speaking to the BBC on the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's return to power have described lives transformed beyond recognition. Women across the country report public floggings, loss of employment, and severe barriers to healthcare that now endanger lives. Under Taliban rule, women have been barred from most workplaces, secondary and higher education, and public spaces without a male guardian. Many women describe a creeping sense of erasure from public life, with restrictions tightened progressively over five years. Medical professionals warn that bans on female healthcare workers are causing preventable deaths, as many women refuse treatment from male physicians.