A video circulating online shows a young Afghan girl detained by Taliban authorities for wearing male clothing, a choice she says she made out of necessity to work and support her family after restrictions on women’s employment grew more severe under the current regime.
In the footage released by the Taliban’s security forces, the girl explains that she dressed in male clothes to protect her sisters and earn a living, highlighting the extreme challenges many women face in Afghanistan today.
Human rights advocates say the incident reflects the broader reality for women in Afghanistan since 2021, where access to work, education, and public life has been systematically restricted, forcing many women and girls to adopt extreme survival strategies.
The impact extends beyond Afghanistan. In Pakistan, a large number of women and girls, who have returned or been deported from Pakistan, face severe restrictions on education, employment, and freedom of movement, forcing women into precarious situations once they return to Afghanistan.
As Pakistan continues large-scale returns of Afghan nationals, women who are barred from work in Afghanistan are left with few survival options on either side of the border, deepening humanitarian and protection concerns.
