Third Anniversary of Taliban Rule: Women's Situation 'Bad and Worse' and 12 Million Facing Food Insecurity

On the third anniversary of the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, human rights and international aid organizations warned that the situation for women in the country has worsened, with over 12 million people facing food insecurity. The World Food Programme of the United Nations estimates that between May and October of this year, '12 million and 400 thousand' Afghan citizens will face food insecurity. This program announced on Tuesday, August 14, ahead of the third anniversary of the Taliban's return to power, that it can only cover 'one million hungry' people and that over 12 million people in Afghanistan need emergency food assistance. Additionally, one million and 400 thousand mothers and children are at risk of malnutrition due to a lack of nutritious food. According to the World Food Programme, one in four Afghan citizens does not know where their next meal will come from, and $617 million is needed in the second half of this year to address the hunger crisis in the country. While the Taliban government is unable to provide food supplies for a quarter of Afghanistan's population, the country is also grappling with multiple other issues that have not only persisted but have worsened after three years of this Islamic government's rule. Foreign aid still constitutes nearly 30% of Afghanistan's GDP this year. The United Nations has spent at least $3.8 billion to assist the country over the past three years, and the United States has sent $3 billion in aid since the Taliban's takeover. Afghanistan under Taliban rule is expected to receive less money from the international community in the future. While Afghanistan faces enormous and complex economic needs, the Taliban's efforts to implement Islamic laws have left the government without tools to stimulate the Afghan economy. The central bank of Afghanistan cannot print money, and cash is printed outside the country. Earning interest from transactions is prohibited due to the Islamic ban on usury, leading banks to refrain from offering loans. Furthermore, since Afghanistan is not recognized as an independent country, it cannot borrow money, and its connection to the international banking system has been severed. Natural disasters and the influx of numerous migrants crossing from Pakistan have also exacerbated economic problems. Another significant blow to Afghanistan's economy has been the prohibition of women's education and their employment in many jobs, effectively removing half of the Afghan population from economic production and tax contributions. The UN Women’s Agency states that the situation for women in Afghanistan has worsened during the Taliban's rule. This agency announced on August 15 that the Taliban has issued 70 decrees over the past three years that directly impact the freedom, rights, and daily lives of Afghan women and girls. Accordingly, the Taliban has imposed gender restrictions that prevent women from working, receiving education, and participating in daily activities such as sports or going to parks, severely damaging gender equality in the country. According to a UN study, 98% of women in the country feel they have no role in decision-making in society, and the mental health status of 68% of Afghan women is assessed as bad or very bad. The Taliban has ensured security in Afghanistan through checkpoints and the use of hundreds of fighters and armored vehicles, but the country is clearly not safe for women and minorities, with suicide bombings and other terrorist attacks continuing. The Islamic State group has repeatedly targeted Shiite neighborhoods in Kabul. Meanwhile, the police respond slowly to these events, and there is a lack of transparency regarding these attacks and the punishment of their perpetrators. Despite efforts in Afghanistan's mainstream media to portray a secure image of the country, many political and civil activists question whom these media are specifically referring to when discussing security. An NGO active in the media situation in Afghanistan announced that the Taliban has increased pressure on media outlets over the past year by issuing new directives. The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that the Taliban has prohibited photography and filming of official and unofficial meetings of local officials and phone calls between women and radio and television stations, while also determining new regulations regarding language use and terminology. According to the organization, the Taliban has shown that it does not adhere to the principle of media freedom over the past three years. Additionally, since the Taliban's return to power, 181 incidents of confrontation with media and journalists, including arrests and threats to newspapers, have been recorded. While the Taliban government attempts to present itself as a unified Islamic government under the leadership of Haibatullah Akhundzada, it faces internal conflicts. The Taliban government can be described as a tense coalition of ruling hardliners and pragmatic politicians. On one side are mosques, clerics, and their radical supporters, while on the other is the administrative system responsible for managing the country and international relations. This situation, according to some observers, has led the Taliban to enter a cultural war within itself. However, these observers believe that this issue cannot pose a serious problem for the Taliban government, and its members will maintain their unity as the ruling political group in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, it does not seem that there will be any change in the Taliban's controversial policies on various issues in the current situation, nor will any high-ranking leaders retire or resign; they will cling to power until their death.