The exclusion of women from work has not only affected their individual lives but has also dealt a serious blow to Afghanistan’s economy.
Since the return of the Taliban, many women have been removed from government and private sector jobs. This decision has pushed thousands of families—whose breadwinners were women—into financial crisis. In a country that was already struggling with high unemployment rates, the large-scale removal of women from the labor market has put additional pressure on the economy.
Studies show that women’s economic participation is directly linked to poverty reduction and increased economic growth. Countries that have kept women active in the labor market have been able to improve their human development indicators. But in today’s Afghanistan, this opportunity has been deliberately taken away.
If this situation continues, the country’s dependence on foreign aid will increase, and domestic production capacity will weaken. In the long term, the exclusion of women from the labor market will trap Afghanistan in a cycle of poverty and dependency—a cycle that will be very difficult to break.
