Afghan Women Face Near Total Social, Economic And Political Exclusion
New Age Islam News Bureau
18 June 2025
· Afghan Women Face Near Total Social, Economic And Political Exclusion
· Gender Budget Cuts May Further Marginalise Women In Bangladesh
· Riyadh Event Highlights Women’s Role In Diplomacy: They Serve As Ambassadors, Leaders, And Negotiators On The Global Stage
· Royal Guard Celebrates Graduation Of Female Cadets
· Muslim Women ‘Face Bias’ In Universities Globally
· UN Women: 8 Out Of 10 Young Women In Afghanistan Denied Education And Employment
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/afghan-women-social-economic-political/d/135910
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Afghan women face near total social, economic and political exclusion
17 June 2025
© UNICEF/Osman Khayyam Girls are excluded from secondary education in Afghanistan following a December 2024 ban..
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But recently, the level of participation has reached a new low – zero.
Zero women in national or local decision-making bodies.
Zero girls projected to be in secondary education following a December 2024 ban.
These numbers are part of the index released Tuesday by gender equality agency UN Women, which is the most comprehensive study on gender inequality in Afghanistan since the Taliban resumed de facto control in 2021.
It paints a sobering picture of the state of gender equality in Afghanistan.
“Since [2021], we have witnessed a deliberate and unprecedented assault on the rights, dignity and very existence of Afghan women and girls. And yet, despite near-total restrictions on their lives, Afghan women persevere,” said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women chief of humanitarian action, at a briefing in Geneva.
The report released by UN Women noted that while the Taliban regime has presided over “unparalleled” gender inequality, disparities existed long before 2021.
“The issue of gender inequality in Afghanistan didn’t start with the Taliban. Their institutionalised discrimination is layered on top of deep-rooted barriers that also hold women back,” Ms. Calltorp said.
According to the index, Afghanistan currently has the second-worst gender gap in the world, with a 76 per cent disparity between women’s and men’s achievements in health, education, financial inclusion and decision-making.
Afghan women are currently realizing only 17 per cent of their potential, and recent policies by the de facto government — including the December 2024 ban on women in secondary education and the increasingly stringent restrictions on women’s movement — will perpetuate and perhaps worsen this under-realized potential.
This sort of systematic exclusion of women from society at all levels not only impedes progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and gender equality but also exacerbates poverty and instability more broadly, making it harder for the economy to diversify labour sources.
“Afghanistan’s greatest resource is its women and girls. Their potential continues to be untapped,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
Right now, only 24 per cent of women are part of the labour force, compared to 89 per cent of men. Continued protracted economic strife has led to the number of women in the workforce increasing.
“Overlapping economic, political, and humanitarian crises — all with women’s rights at their core — have pushed many households to the brink. In response – often out of sheer necessity — more women are entering the workforce,” Ms. Calltorp said.
Nevertheless, women are still predominantly working in lower-paid and less secure positions and are overwhelmingly responsible for all unpaid domestic work.
Ms. Calltorp noted that despite the “devastating” daily constraints that Afghan women face, they continue to advocate for themselves and their rights.
“[Afghan women] continue to find ways to run businesses and advocate for their rights – and the rights of all Afghans…Their courage and resilience spans generations,” Ms. Calltorp said.
Alongside a deteriorating gender equality landscape, the aid outlook in Afghanistan is increasingly bleak with only 18 per cent of the 2025 humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan funded.
This is having tangible impacts on the ground, leading UN agencies and partners to call for action and funds.
“Time and time again in Afghanistan, we have seen how donor support can be the difference between life and death…We make an urgent appeal to donors to increase flexible, timely and predictable funding,” they said.
Women, girls and other vulnerable groups are particularly impacted by these funding shortages — 300 nutrition sites for malnourished mothers and children have shut and 216 gender-based violence points have suspended work impacting over one million women and girls.
“The choices we make now will reveal what we stand for as a global community. If the world tolerates the erasure of Afghan women and girls, it sends a message that the rights of women and girls everywhere are fragile and expendable,” Ms. Calltorp said.
“Afghan women and girls haven’t given up, and we will not give up on them.”
Source: news.un.org
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164476
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Gender Budget Cuts May Further Marginalise Women In Bangladesh
Jun 18, 2025
Economists, rights activists, and development experts have raised concerns over a decline in gender-responsive allocations in the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2025–26, questioning the government's commitment to women's empowerment and gender equality.
Speaking at a post-budget discussion organised by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad yesterday, they warned that gender-sensitive considerations are being increasingly sidelined, especially during crises -- an omission they called unacceptable.
The event, held at the organisation's headquarters in Segunbagicha, brought together policy analysts and civil society members who criticised both the reduced allocations and the persistent gaps in budget implementation and oversight.
Speaking as chief guest, Dr Manzoor Hossain, member (secretary) of General Economics Division, acknowledged the drop in gender budgeting allocation but said this would not necessarily reduce its impact.
He stressed the need for efficient spending by eliminating "non-essential sectors".
However, speakers cautioned that viewing gender budgeting solely through the lens of efficiency risks overlooking the needs of marginalised women and undermining the purpose of gender-responsive planning, especially amid rising social and economic vulnerability among women.
Ishrat Sharmin, deputy director at SANEM, expressed disappointment over what she described as a continuing lack of understanding within government ministries regarding gender budgeting.
"Despite years of advocacy, many ministries still don't fully understand what a gender-responsive budget means," she said, adding that the Finance Division's assumption that gender priorities are already addressed is "far from the truth".
She also highlighted the lack of reliable, disaggregated data to measure how gender budgets affect women's lives -- an information gap that weakens accountability and reform efforts.
Sharmin Islam, gender team leader at UNDP, echoed similar concerns. She called for a deeper review of how ministries plan and implement gender allocations and whether those efforts truly lead to positive outcomes for women.
"Without effective monitoring and oversight, gender priorities risk being sidelined," she said, urging the government to strengthen ministries' monitoring and evaluation capacities and introduce comprehensive tracking systems to ensure results.
Umme Marjana, lecturer of economics at East West University, linked increasing rates of gender-based violence with women's economic dependency, especially in the informal sector.
She criticised the budget for failing to address this link and pointed out that rising education costs and limited support for informal workers further marginalise women.
Sumaiya Islam, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra, said the budget overlooks the realities faced by rural, urban, and migrant working women.
"Skill development and livelihood support initiatives have seen little meaningful growth," she said, calling for targeted investments -- particularly through consular services -- for migrant women workers.
Tamanna Singh Baraik, programme officer at Dalit Nari Forum, noted that over 6.5 million Dalit people, especially women and girls, remain excluded from development efforts.
"The budget provides no roadmap or targeted funding to address this deep-rooted inequality," she said.
Mahila Parishad General Secretary Maleka Banu appreciated the timely presentation of the budget but criticised weak monitoring and inconsistent gender budgeting practices across ministries.
"The recognition of unpaid domestic labour is a step forward, but much more remains to be done," she said.
Closing the session, Mahila Parishad President Dr Fauzia Moslem called for including more women economists in policy analysis, especially in evaluating the gendered impact of budgets.
"We must institutionalise the recognition of unpaid and informal work, reduce barriers to education, and address the structural inequalities women continue to face," she said.
Prof Sharmind Neelormi of Jahangirnagar University and Shahnaz Sumi, director of Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha, also spoke at the session, among others.
The event was moderated by Mahila Parishad's Movement Secretary Rabeya Khatun Shanti.
Source: thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/gender-budget-cuts-may-further-marginalise-women-3919586
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Riyadh Event Highlights Women’s Role In Diplomacy: They Serve As Ambassadors, Leaders, And Negotiators On The Global Stage
ARAB NEWS
June 17, 2025
RIYADH: The Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies in Riyadh has held a symposium to mark the forthcoming International Day of Women in Diplomacy. It was attended by Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji, female diplomatic leaders, and ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom.
Elkhereiji spoke of the importance of empowering women in diplomacy, citing the progress made under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in light of the Vision 2030 reform plan.
He noted that Saudi women now serve as ambassadors, leaders, and negotiators on the global stage, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The symposium discussed efforts to support women’s diplomatic careers, the role of men in advancing change, and the unique contributions women bring to diplomacy.
Topics also included the global rise of women in diplomacy, their impact on foreign and domestic policy, and ways to enhance female participation in multilateral forums to address future challenges.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2604826/saudi-arabia
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Royal Guard celebrates graduation of female cadets
June 17, 2025
RIYADH — Brig. Gen. Abdullah Al-Rashidi, acting assistant chief of Operations and Director of the Royal Guard's Admissions and Registration Department, graced the graduation ceremony of its female cadets.
Speaking on the occasion, Al-Rashidi congratulated the graduates and urged them to work hard and to use practically what they have learned through the courses while engaging in their duties. He wished them success and prosperity.
The graduation ceremony followed the completion of specialized training courses and programs in VIP security, facility security, and physical education, which qualify them to perform their security duties with high professionalism.
This comes as part of plans to develop and modernize the Royal Guard's work system in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes the importance of women's participation in military and security fields.
The new recruits expressed their pride and honor in joining this lofty institution, affirming their determination to perform their duties with complete honesty and sincerity in the service of religion, then the King and the country.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/652768/SAUDI-ARABIA/Royal-Guard-celebrates-graduation-of-female-cadets
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Muslim women ‘face bias’ in universities globally
June 18, 2025
Muslim women face unique barriers in higher education in both Muslim-majority and Western countries, a conference has heard, prompting calls for universities to ask tough questions about whether certain ideas of diversity can hamper gender equality.
Ayşe Didem Sezgin, assistant professor in the Faculty of Law at Boğaziçi University, told the Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress in Istanbul that there was “still bias against women of faith” in higher education institutions.
Referencing the book Do Muslim Women Need Saving? by US anthropologist Lila Abu-Lughod, Sezgin said it was time to “stop thinking that Muslim women need saving from their own values”, suggesting that “both Muslim men and secular women” were part of the problem.
During a panel discussion on achieving gender parity in higher education, Sezgin recounted her personal experience “as a Muslim woman coming from the Global South and as an international student coming to London”.
She began her higher education studies as a law student in Istanbul during the country’s ban on headscarves on university campuses.
“I wasn’t sure how I could continue higher education as that was a big concern,” she said, recalling how she wore a hat over her headscarf to get around the ban, until it was lifted during her second year of university in 2010.
While Sezgin said that Turkish universities have “come a long way” since then, with additional equality policies and an embrace of targets relating to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she said that “women who prefer to share their core values visibly…still face this invisible barrier…both during higher education and once they start in a job”.
Sezgin later completed a master’s degree and PhD at King’s College London, where she said it was rare to see a “woman of faith” having “a permanent position of visibility”.
During her time at the institution, it was widely reported that King’s had blocked 13 students and one staff member – most of whom were Muslim – from its campus during a visit from the Queen as it suspected them of being part of previous protests – an action the university later apologised for.
“It was not very different from my Turkish experience, interestingly,” Sezgin said.
“So in that sense it doesn’t make much difference whether I’m in a Muslim-majority country or a non-Muslim country. I felt this bias.”
However, she said that London was a “unique city”: “I never really remember anything odd about being a woman of faith openly in public spaces.”
Sezgin said the expectation from some quarters that Muslim women eventually reject their values to “fully become part of this community” was “disturbing”.
“Both Muslim men and secular women are not helping in that sense to deal with these discriminatory approaches,” she said.
When asked whether she had any advice for tackling gender parity in higher education, she said: “Widening perspectives when we talk about discrimination or equality. Sometimes the idea of diversity limits women’s chances to carry their own core values.”
Regarding solutions to limit the kinds of barriers she faced, she suggested “having more nuances in the way we design SDG targets in relation to equality”.
“When you look at the concept of equality, [it includes] gender and race and perhaps religious values. But not necessarily other elements that come into play to deal with Islamophobia, for example, or other religions,” she said.
Source: timeshighereducation.com
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/muslim-women-face-bias-universities-globally
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UN Women: 8 out of 10 young women in Afghanistan denied Education and Employment
By Fidel Rahmati
June 18, 2025
A UN Women report reveals that 8 out of 10 young women in Afghanistan are denied access to education and employment.
A newly released report by the United Nations Women’s Division reveals that 8 out of 10 young women in Afghanistan are denied access to education, training, and employment. The report underscores the significant obstacles Afghanistan’s women face in achieving basic human development goals.
The report further illustrates that Afghanistan’s gender gap is notably wide, with the country ranking second globally in terms of gender inequality. With a staggering 76% disparity between men and women in health, education, financial participation, and decision-making, Afghanistan continues to lag behind international standards of gender equality.
The UN Women’s report links these disparities to the restrictions imposed by the Taliban, particularly the banning of secondary and higher education for girls and women, including medical studies. As a result, the report predicts that the completion rate for secondary education among girls in Afghanistan will soon approach zero.
Additionally, the report highlights Afghanistan’s substantial gender gap in the labor force. Only 24% of Afghan women participate in the workforce, in stark contrast to 89% of men. This disparity points to the systemic barriers women face in achieving economic independence and employment opportunities.
Financial inclusion is also severely limited for Afghan women. According to the report, women are nearly three times less likely than men to have a bank account or access mobile money services. This financial exclusion further perpetuates their socio-economic challenges.
Despite these setbacks, the report calls for urgent international support and intervention to address gender inequality in Afghanistan. The UN urges the global community to step up efforts to ensure that Afghan women’s rights to education, employment, and financial inclusion are restored.
The report emphasizes that addressing these issues is not only a matter of human rights but also essential for Afghanistan’s long-term stability and development. As the situation continues to deteriorate, the UN urges the international community to prioritize Afghan women’s empowerment in humanitarian and policy agendas.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/un-women-8-out-of-10-young-women-in-afghanistan-denied-education-and-employment/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/afghan-women-social-economic-political/d/135910