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The BBC has conducted an in-depth report on how the Taliban governs Afghanistan. The report highlights the life and rights of women under Taliban rule, focusing on an 18-year-old woman who seeks a divorce due to her husband's abuse. In a conversation with a Taliban official, she asserts that her "honor and dignity have already been ruined" and explains her decision to divorce. However, the Taliban official tries to persuade her against the divorce, making comments that portray women as "mindless," which elicits laughter from the male officials around him.
Since the Taliban took power in 2021, women have been excluded from most workplaces and banned from secondary education. The BBC gained access to high-ranking Taliban figures to reveal the disconnect between their past violent actions and their current attitudes. While they claim to have changed, many of their policies still adhere to the strict interpretation of Sharia law from the 1990s.
Additionally, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that women's rights and freedom of speech must be viewed through the lens of Sharia, and that discussions regarding women's education are ongoing. The reality in Afghanistan remains fraught with extreme poverty and economic instability, with many women living in despair after being stripped of educational opportunities.