Afghanistan Under Taliban: 5 Years On, Safer Streets but Youth Plead for Jobs and Education

As Afghanistan's Taliban rulers mark five years since sweeping back to power, some Kabul residents say they feel safer after decades of conflict and upheaval but stress the leaders should now focus on creating jobs and expanding access to schools in the country where girls above the age of 12 are banned from education.

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021, after launching an offensive as U.S. and other NATO troops withdrew after two decades of war. The withdrawal led to chaotic scenes at Kabul's airport with thousands wanting to leave.

"Thank God, the past five years have passed in safety," said Mohammad Qasim, 30, reflecting on the anniversary that comes against a backdrop of economic hardship. "Our wish and hope from the government is to create job opportunities for the youth."

"We, along with the entire nation, call upon the government to create employment opportunities for the youth and to encourage them to pursue education," he added.

Before the takeover, the Taliban stated that it would allow women access to education, employment, and public participation, albeit in accordance with its interpretation of Islamic principles. Soon after seizing power, it imposed an indefinite ban on girls' education beyond the sixth grade and later banned higher education for women until "further notice." Women also were banned from gyms, parks, public baths, sports, and traveling without a male guardian.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has repeatedly said the administration is working to establish conditions for girls and women to attend classrooms or universities in line with Islamic Sharia laws, but the restrictions remain.

While the U.N. has acknowledged that the country has become more stable, it warns that lasting stability cannot be possible unless the Taliban lifts restrictions on women and girls, protects basic rights, and addresses terrorism concerns.

"A reduction in conflict has brought tangible benefits for many Afghans and created opportunities to focus on recovery, development, and regional economic cooperation," said the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a statement. However, restrictions on women and girls impede Afghanistan's recovery and reintegration with the international community.

In a statement this week, U.N. Women said Afghan women and girls are living under the world's most severe restrictions, which not only violate their rights but also threaten the country's social and economic future. "Half a decade after the Taliban takeover, Afghanistan has systematically dismantled the rights of half its population, making it a global outlier with no parallel in the modern world," it said.

Fazila Soroush, a 39-year-old Kabul-based entrepreneur and women's rights advocate, said the government had "demonstrated its worth to the people through its actions in every area." She stressed the need for a clear and practical decision on reopening schools and universities for women.

In Kabul's streets, preparations for the anniversary celebrations were underway, with vendors selling Taliban flags and painters writing slogans in praise of Islamic laws on walls.

Molvi Hayatullah Mahajar Farahi, deputy minister for broadcasting at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said the administration has delivered security, stabilized the currency, improved infrastructure, and formed industrial parks that have created jobs. However, he did not address the issue of girls' education but said "the level of investment made in universities surpasses anything seen in the past."

The deputy minister rejected a U.N. report documenting terrorist networks in Afghanistan, calling it "enemy propaganda." He insisted the Taliban government was engaged with some 40 countries, though it is only formally recognized by Russia.

The bans have left an estimated 2.4 million girls excluded from secondary education, UNESCO said this week, a 200,000 increase from last year. The restrictions have reversed two decades of progress in education. Additionally, 53% of primary school-aged children are out of school, and schools lack basic infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the U.N. World Food Program said child malnutrition has reached critical levels in a third of Afghanistan's provinces and is expected to worsen as funding shortfalls force cuts in food distributions.

In Kabul, Dost Mohammad Khan expressed support for the Taliban administration, saying the past five years have brought stability. However, he urged authorities to keep "all sectors operational" and permit women to attend school under the sharia dress code.