Gender gap in Afghanistan now second-widest in the world; women achieving just 17 per cent of their potential

Afghanistan now has the second-largest gender gap globally, with Afghan women accessing only 17 per cent of their full potential in health, education, finance, and decision-making, according to a new UN Women report released this week.

The Afghanistan Gender Index, the first such assessment since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, paints a stark picture of a society where women are rapidly being pushed out of public life and stripped of basic rights. On average, women globally access 60.7 per cent of their potential – over three times more than Afghan women.

The report found that 78 per cent of Afghan women aged 15 – 24 are neither in education, employment, nor training—nearly four times the rate for men. With bans on secondary and university education in place, girls’ school completion rates are set to fall to zero, it warned.

The country also has one of the world’s widest workforce gender gaps, with only 24 per cent of women participating in the labour force compared to 89 per cent of men. Women are also overwhelmingly confined to unpaid domestic work, with 74 per cent of them spending significant time on household chores, compared to just 3 per cent of men.

Afghan women are nearly three times less likely than men to own a bank account or access mobile money services. Despite restrictions, the report notes that women are still entering the workforce in large numbers – driven by poverty, not policy. By 2022, the number of unemployed women actively seeking work had quadrupled, and the number of employed women had doubled compared to pre-Taliban levels.

“Afghanistan’s greatest resource is its women and girls. Their potential continues to be untapped, yet they persevere,” said Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women. “Their courage and leadership are reshaping communities, even under immense restrictions.” Women currently hold no positions in the de facto Cabinet or local governance structures, but they continue to advocate for their rights and engage with authorities where possible.

Funded by the European Union, the Index aims to monitor progress – or regression – in gender equality, and guide national and international interventions. “This report is a call to keep Afghan women and girls at the centre of global attention,” UN Women said, as it urged stakeholders to support inclusive governance and ensure women are not erased from Afghanistan’s future.