Afghan women say their world has been turned upside down under Taliban rule

Five years after the Taliban's return to power

Five years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghan women describe a reality that bears little resemblance to the lives they once led, according to interviews conducted by the BBC. From public whippings to forced unemployment and restricted access to medical care, their accounts paint a stark picture of daily struggle and mounting fear.

In conversations with the broadcaster, women from various provinces recounted incidents of being flogged in public for minor infractions, a punishment that has become increasingly common under the current administration. Many said they now avoid leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary, fearing that a simple errand could result in humiliation or violence.

The loss of livelihoods has been equally devastating. Women who once worked as teachers, doctors, and civil servants say they have been barred from most professional roles, leaving families without income and forcing some into extreme poverty. One former engineer told the BBC she now sells vegetables from her kitchen, while another woman, a former nurse, said she cannot afford basic food for her children.

Healthcare has emerged as another critical front. With

Healthcare has emerged as another critical front. With female doctors and nurses largely banned from working, many women are left without access to female medical staff, which they say endangers their health and lives. Several interviewees described giving birth at home without skilled assistance, and others noted that treatable conditions have become fatal due to the lack of available care.

The interviews suggest that the cumulative effect of these policies has been a widespread sense of isolation and hopelessness. Women spoke of feeling invisible in their own country, with their rights stripped away and their voices silenced. One young woman summed up the mood, saying, "We are alive, but we are not living."

International organizations and human rights groups have repeatedly condemned the Taliban's restrictions on women and girls, but little has changed on the ground. As the fifth anniversary of the takeover passes, Afghan women say they see no clear path forward, yet they remain determined to document their experiences in the hope that the world will not forget them.