# Taliban restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/taliban-restrictions-on-women-and-girls-in-afghanistan
> Updated: 2026-08-13T11:35:56.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

Five years after the Taliban returned to power, Afghanistan remains the only nation globally to formally prohibit girls from accessing education beyond the primary level. Data from UNESCO and UN Women indicates that approximately 2.4 million girls are currently barred from secondary education, a figure that has increased by 200,000 in the last year.

In addition to education bans, the Taliban has issued over 100 decrees targeting women, which include restrictions on movement, access to public spaces such as parks and gyms, and prohibitions on women teaching boys. UN Women reports that 50% of women now leave their homes only once or twice a month. Recent legislative changes have also removed legal gender equality, strengthened male authority in marriage, and made divorce nearly impossible for women.

While the UN has described these measures as “gender apartheid,” Saifullah Haibar, a spokesperson for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, rejected claims of insecurity. He stated that for the first time in nearly 50 years, all citizens feel safe and that women’s rights are moving in a “positive direction” based on Islamic law and local culture.

## Claims

- Approximately 50% of women in Afghanistan leave their homes only once or twice per month due to movement restrictions. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Since 2021, the Taliban have banned approximately 2.4 million girls from accessing secondary education. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Saifullah Kheibar, representing the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, stated that security has improved for all citizens for the first time in nearly 50 years. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Afghanistan is the only country globally that prohibits girls from secondary education and women from university access. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Over 100 decrees have been issued by authorities specifically targeting women and girls. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Nearly three-quarters of women in Afghanistan report that they do not feel safe. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-13: Afghanistan: UN reports severe restrictions on women's rights

UN reports indicate 50% of Afghan women leave home only once or twice a month, while 2.4 million girls are barred from secondary education under Taliban rule.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/afghanistan-taliban-restrictions-limit-womens-movement-and-education

### 2026-08-13: Afghanistan: 2.4 million girls barred from education under Taliban rule

Five years into Taliban rule, UNESCO reports 2.4 million Afghan girls are barred from secondary education, a crisis that could cost the economy $9.6 billion by 2066.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/afghanistan-24-million-girls-denied-secondary-education-under-taliban-rule

---
Cite as: Taliban restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/taliban-restrictions-on-women-and-girls-in-afghanistan