Three Years Later, Taliban Rule Deepens the Crisis for Women and Girls

On the third anniversary of their return to power, the Taliban held parades and issued proclamations, hailing in their governance of Afghanistan under an “Islamic Emirate”. But for Mahtab, it was a day of mourning—a day to reflect on all that had been lost. She remembered the last time she had walked to school, ventured outside without covering her face, or met her friends in a café. It felt like a lifetime ago. Since then, her life has become a series of closed doors, each shutting her from the world she once knew.

“I feel like I’m fading away; like I am becoming invisible,” Mahtab told KabulNow, her voice trembling. “The Taliban took away my dreams.”