Women’s employment in Afghanistan fell by a quarter in last year’s last quarter. This is reported by the International Labor Organization (ILO), which states that since the takeover of power by the Taliban, Afghan women have been increasingly restricted from studying and working.
The ILO concludes that girls and women in Afghanistan face restrictions that have “serious consequences” for their educational and labour market prospects. For example, the authorities have denied girls secondary school and university access. In addition, it is made difficult for women to work.
The ILO says women have taken refuge in self-employment, such as farming or repairing clothes. As a result, they somewhat slow down the falling employment, and they can still generate an income.
The Taliban seized power in August 2021. Foreign governments subsequently stopped development aid from abroad and froze the central bank’s assets. As a result, the Afghan economy has entered a crisis, which has also caused a decline in employment.
This fell by 7 percent for men in the last quarter of 2022. The ILO estimates that the gross national product has shrunk by 30 to 35 percent.