Summary

  • Women from across Afghanistan have been telling us about their daily lives under Taliban rule

  • A dressmaker, a teacher, a karate trainer, an audiobook narrator, a religious school teacher and a one-time national team golfer are among those we'll hear from today

  • Since seizing power in 2021, the ultra-conservative rulers have restricted women’s lives, closing most secondary schools to girls

  • Women have been banned from going to university, stopped from entering parks and gyms and must observe strict dress codes

  • About half the population face acute hunger and 97% are in poverty but in December the Taliban also banned female aid workers from doing their jobs

  • The Taliban tell the BBC they will not lift the ban on female aid workers, despite the worse winter in a decade leaving at least 124 people dead

Live Reporting

Edited by Alexandra Fouché and Chris Giles

  1. 'What about tomorrow?' - author finds hope in reading

    The authorSupplied

    The next woman who has been in touch with us is an author. She describes her heartbreak when her life changed under the Taliban - but says she has found solace in books, and sharing them with other women:

    I cried for myself, my sisters and for our unknown future; but is there any point in shedding tears? But after half an hour I decided to be strong and give strength myself and to the rest of my sisters. I wrote on my Facebook page and in my Instagram story: 'I decided to read a book tomorrow one page more than today, watch a movie a day, listen to a podcast a day, read an English book one page a day, dance for five minutes a day and exercise for half an hour a day.' What did you decide for tomorrow?

    In this new division of my time, I could work more at home, write more, read more, create reading groups, exercise, cook, and finally dance. This was the list of things that I could not do while going to the office; but now I can easily do all these tasks according to the daily schedule. I am always relaxed by reading and writing.

    I have a library on Telegram which I have uploaded more than a thousand books on this channel and made available to all readers to read and enjoy. Three weeks ago, I received a message from one of my friends who wrote: Can you lead a reading group with more than 50 girls for a while? This message was one of the best messages for me at this time and now I have been leading the reading group for three weeks.

    I am trying to keep myself busy and not to think about what I have lost, it’s really hard for me to handle this but I will keep trying."

  2. Analysis

    Women living in Afghanistan need to be heard

    Lyse Doucet
    Reporting from Kabul

    It is a truism of our time that people can and should speak for themselves.

    No need to give voice to the voiceless; voices just need to be heard.

    But in Afghanistan, women’s voices are being silenced, and in some places entirely snuffed out, as women and girls are pushed out of public places and into their homes by new Taliban government edicts.

    There are no female parliamentarians; parliament itself has been shut.

    Music is mostly banned, most of all women’s song. Some female journalists still work but there are far fewer.

    Small groups of Afghan women boldly take to the streets, but protests are quickly dispersed. The most prominent activists sometimes disappear into detention.

    But in our time, it’s hard to completely shut issues down. Afghan women who fled their country use platforms far away to urge the world to act.

    There’s a buzz of anguish and advocacy across social media. But women living in Afghanistan need to be heard, most of all, by Taliban leaders now in charge.

    And it’s clear the most conservative among them still aren’t ready to listen.

  3. Afghan women's lives - in their own words

    If you're just joining us - we're doing things a bit differently in this live page. Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, women's lives have changed fundamentally. Today they are telling us how, in their own words.

    Stay with us as Afghan women share updates as they go about their daily lives under rules set by the ultra conservative government.

  4. 'I dreamt to be a heroine but I am a house girl now'

    Shukria Hujjat's medalsShukria Hujjat

    Shukria Hujjat now, a karate trainer, has been in touch with us. She has a black belt in karate and a haul of medals to her name. But her day looks totally different to the way it would have been. She's sent us these updates:

    It is 14:00 (09:30 GMT) now and I want to talk about my routine from 14:00 to 16:00 before the fall of Afghanistan. I used to leave the educational training centre at 14:00, and then I went to a high school. It was a private school and I also used to help the orphan and poor children. There were fatherless and motherless children and some of the poor families sent their daughters to at least have something for eating and wearing.

    The government distributed food and clothes for them and also they were taught different subjects including the Quran, calligraphy, painting, tailoring and sports. I was sports teacher, my youngest student was eight years old and the oldest was a 36-year-old woman... some of them were 56 and 70 years old.

    Now, I go to the tailoring course from 14:00 to 16:00, I take fabric with myself, cut and sew it. Certainly, as the government changed and the rules changed, it also changed my life. I dreamt to be a heroine, but I am a house girl now. It is very difficult for me as I don’t go to my sports training center and instead I go to tailoring course."

  5. 'I paint to show the suffering of women and girls - and refuse to stop'

    The artistShabnam Art

    This artwork, the painter raises the plight of Afghan girls who are deprived of education and forced to stay at home

    We've had some messages in from a 23-year old artist in Kabul who used to teach women and girls how to paint and draw. But after the country fell to the Taliban, she was warned to stop painting, and to destroy all her artwork.

    But she is continuing to paint, despite the danger. She says she wants to give a voice to Afghan women and girls with her artwork.

    ArtworkShabnam Art

    In this artwork, the painter depicts the silencing of girls' voices and restricting education in the name of Islam

  6. Female aid workers cannot work despite rising death toll - minister

    Lyse Doucet
    Chief International Correspondent reporting from Kabul

    Afghanistan's acting minister of disaster management has told us that many areas of Afghanistan are now completely cut off by snow; military helicopters have been sent to the rescue, but they haven't been able to land in the most mountainous regions.

    At least 124 people have died in freezing temperatures, according to the ministry. About 70,000 livestock have also perished.

    The acting minister, Mullah Mohammad Abbas Akhund, says the forecast for the next 10 days indicate that temperatures will warm. But he is still worried about a rising death toll – of Afghans, and their livestock.

    Winters are always harsh here in Afghanistan, but this is the worst weather in a decade.

    And this year's relief operations are hampered by a Taliban government edict barring Afghan women from working in aid agencies.

    But Mullah Akhund is categorical. This edict cannot be lifted – the international community, he insisted, must accept Afghanistan’s Islamic culture.

    Meanwhile, aid officials, including the UN, are urgently trying to find ways to work around this ban.

  7. ‘I was worried whether I would survive on the way home’

    The police officer recalls the day the Taliban took over and says it is one she will never forget.

    I had gone to the bank, because people were talking a lot about the arrival of the Taliban, so that I could get some of my savings, which unfortunately I did not succeed in getting.

    I came out of the bank, I was wearing my normal everyday clothes, but people were behaving very differently. I was very scared, I was worried whether I would survive on the way home or not.

    Finally, despite many problems, I reached home. All my family were worried about me. I was in severe shock for 15 to 20 days. I was always in the corner of the room and had no news of the outside world.

    Without being able to control myself, tears would flow from my eyes. I was worried about what would happen to my dreams. What will happen to my future.”

  8. 'I have nothing to do' - former police officer

    Unnamed police officerSupplied

    We’re going to hear now from a former police officer who is also a student, who has been unable to do her job since the Taliban took over.

    Most women were told not to go to work after the Taliban swept back to power.

    The woman, who's 23 and has chosen to stay anonymous, said prior to the takeover she would get up at 05:30, do some exercise, and then spend 30 to 40 minutes preparing to go to work.

    But now, unfortunately, I have nothing to do; I have no specific schedule and I would stay home all day because we are not allowed to go to work, university, or do any kind of activity."

    She used to arrive at her office at 08:00, put on her uniform and start working, but that’s no longer possible with the Taliban in power.

    We would have been busy helping and serving the people of our country. But, unfortunately, I can no longer do anything for myself."

  9. Tens of thousands not getting help due to ban - refugee council

    While we bring you insights from the daily lives of women in Afghanistan, we're also hearing from organisations who deliver aid in the country, which is facing freezing conditions and famine.

    They say they cannot perform this task following the Taliban's new ban on female aid workers.

    The head of the UN aid organisation, Martin Griffiths, says "humanitarian aid cannot be delivered without women".

    These thoughts are being echoed by Neil Turner, the Afghan country director for the Norwegian Refugee Council.

    Speaking to the BBC's Newsday programme from Kabul he says: "We have been compelled to pause our operations because of the ban on our female colleagues working with us.

    "The situation is very difficult because we will not work without our female colleagues... Tens of thousands are not getting the assistance they need from us."

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  10. Women are literally being erased from public life, activist tells UN

    According to activists, women in Afghanistan are being erased from public life.

    Mahbouba Seraj, an Afghan human rights activist and the executive director of the Afghan Women Skills Development Center, told a UN Security Council meeting as much in December.

    “Women are literally being erased from public life, down to the beheading of female mannequins in shop windows,” she said.

    Martin Griffiths, the UN’s under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, also gave an overview of the dire humanitarian situation at the time. He said:

    • 97% of Afghans live in poverty
    • Two-thirds of the population need humanitarian assistance
    • Around 20 million people face acute hunger
    • Half of the population"urgently" needs access to clean water and sanitation
    • Some 1.1 million teenage girls are banned from school
    • Nearly 7 million Afghan nationals remain in neighbouring countries

  11. I feel more secure - religious teacher on how her life has changed

    We now hear from Omaro-Taha, a teacher at a madrassa (religious school). She is also a first-year student in medical school. Unlike most of the women we’re hearing from, she says she feels freer under the Taliban.

    We are very happy about the security. It is very good now. We are happy for separation of study - environment. [Women] can feel free, and can study better than [in the] past. It is the part of our religion as well that there should be separate places for both genders.

    Teaching at a madrassaOmaro-Taha

    I work as teacher in one of the madrassas and get salary. It helps me to support my family beside my father who works as shopkeeper.

    The other thing that I like is the order about hijab (veil). According to our religion we need to be covered. It is much better for [women]."

  12. 'I have nothing to do when I get up in the morning'

    The dressesSupplied

    We're now going to hear from a dressmaker in Afghanistan who was known for her traditional and colourful designs. The woman, who is in her 30s, was the sole earner in her family and supported her husband and children before the Taliban told her to close her business.

    Here's her story:

    I have nothing to do when I get up in the morning; I do my prayer, prepare breakfast and clean the house. My shop is closed; women are not allowed to work. My customers keep asking me why I have closed my shop, and I tell them that I can’t have my shop open but I can prepare your clothes in my house."

    I can't have my entire shop in my house, however, because my house is small, and I only have a simple machine that I can use there. I can only sew simple clothes in my house, not wedding dresses or party dresses because I don’t have the equipment."

    "After the [Taliban] takeover, I had moved my shop from the market to a village. But even in the village they physically came and asked me to close my shop. I explained to them that I had a one-year contract with the owner and that I am the only breadwinner of the family. They said that they had orders from their leaders and that women are not allowed to work."

  13. How women’s lives have changed since the Taliban takeover

    Afghan women walk in capital KabulBBC/Nava Jamshidi

    Since seizing back control of all of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have steadily restricted women's rights - despite promising their rule would be softer than when the Islamist rulers last ran the country in the 1990s.

    Here’s what they’ve done:

    September 2021: The Taliban announce a new interim government - it is all male; soon after, they announce girls will be excluded from secondary schools. Female Kabul government workers are told to stay home unless their job cannot be filled by a man

    November 2021: The Taliban ban women from appearing in TV dramas in Afghanistan

    December 2021: They ban long-distance solo road trips for women, which means women cannot go out independently and must be accompanied by a close male relative if they're travelling for longer than a certain distance

    March 2022: In a last-minute U-turn, secondary school girls are barred from attending class, only hours after schools re-open

    May 2022: Women and girls are ordered to wear the hijab and cover their faces when in public for the first time in more than two decades. Later that month, female TV presenters are among those targeted by the measure, sparking protests from some of them, who refuse to cover their faces

    October 2022: The Taliban ban women from studying many university subjects

    November 2022: They ban women from Kabul parks

    December 2022: They ban female students from universities, and women from working with non-governmental organisations

  14. Everything about our daily life has changed, says psychologist and secret teacher

    BreakfastSupplied

    Before the ban, I would usually be at the office this time of the day, or school. It’s weird - everything has changed, from our daily schedules to the way we live.

    If teachers and students come early, I eat breakfast with them and not at home and this is how I myself learnt how to be the best version of me even in the worst times, the toughest times of life.

    It is how I’m helping my students, their families, my own families, my female and male colleagues and friends.

    The number of girls that are coming to me are increasing day by day. I’m receiving sometimes at least 30 messages a night. Somedays it's even over 170 messages - it was the first day when they announced that girls cannot go to university.

    They are girls that are in situations worse than mine and they have suicidal thoughts. They want to kill themselves, pretend someone wants to end their lives because they have lost every single and basic needs they had."

    We’re hearing from a psychologist and secret school teacher whose identity is being protected.

  15. ‘It’s so beautiful today - the sun is meeting the snow’

    Snow in KabulSupplied

    It’s snowing today and very beautifully snow is coming down and it’s like not so dark. You can see the sun as well and the snow as well.

    I wish I could send you a picture of it but it’s a bit risky. It’s really so beautiful, that both the sun and snow are together at the same time."

    Today I have to prepare a manual for how to be resilient and after that I’ll be able to study a bit because I’ve got an examination in April.

    I just turned on my laptop, there is no electricity. Let’s see how long it can work. If it dies, then I have to wait for the electricity or turn on our generator.

    We’re hearing from a psychologist and secret school teacher whose identity is being protected.

  16. A psychologist and a secret school for girls

    Girls walk to their school along a road in Gardez, Paktia province, on September 8, 2022.Getty Images

    Let’s hear now from a psychologist who is also a teacher at a secret school for girls which has sprung up in defiance of the Taliban.

    Two days a week, she teaches classes packed with 70 students who want to learn - the youngest is 10 and the eldest 20. She also holds private therapy sessions with them and their families.

    The Taliban have closed most secondary schools to girls and banned female students from universities.

    This secret teacher sent us voice notes in English, describing how her day was going as she prepared to teach young women about resilience.

    Stay with us as we bring you her story.

  17. Who are the Taliban?

    Taliban fighters in a vehicle patrol the streets of Kabul on August 23, 2021Getty Images

    So as we know, the Taliban now run Afghanistan’s government - but how did they get to that position? Here’s a quick reminder.

    The Islamist group retook control of Afghanistan in 2021, two decades after being removed from power by a US-led military coalition.

    They then advanced rapidly across the country, seizing province after province before taking the capital Kabul on 15 August that year, as the Afghan military collapsed.

    Foreign forces, who had agreed to leave, were stunned by the speed of the advance and had to accelerate their exit. Many Western-backed Afghan government leaders fled, while thousands of their compatriots and foreigners, fearing Taliban rule, scrambled to find room on flights out of the country.

    Within weeks, the Taliban were in control of all of Afghanistan - something they had not managed to do in their first stint in power between 1996 and 2001.

    Read more on the Taliban's rise to power here.

  18. More about the women who are sharing their stories

    Some of the women we've made contact with are remaining anonymous. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and will be sending us accounts of their daily lives.

    They include:

    • A student training to be a mid-wife, who also teaches in a madrassa (religious school)
    • A 19-year-old audiobook narrator from Kabul who has voiced novels, books for children and religious books
    • A dressmaker from a central province in Afghanistan known for her traditional and colourful designs. The woman, who is in her thirties, was the breadwinner of her family, supporting her husband and children, but was asked to shut her business by the Taliban
    • An aid worker in Badakhshan, one of the poorest and most remote regions of the country. She’s been unable to carry out her work since restrictions were imposed on female aid workers and says it breaks her heart every time someone asks her when they will start getting aid again
    • A psychologist and a teacher who clandestinely teaches dozens at a secret school for girls
    • An aspiring writer who runs a book club online
    • A former police officer and university student, who says she’s been in hiding since the takeover in August 2021

  19. A golfer and a karate trainer will tell us how their lives have changed

    Among those we’ll hear from today are:

    • Shaista Safi, 30, a former government worker. She is also a golf enthusiast who was a member of the national golf team.
    Shaista SafiShaista Safi

    I miss my job, colleagues, studying, golf, going to restaurants, meeting friends, and my freedom. Sometimes I cry because of what I have lost in the last 15 months.”

    Shaista Safi

    • Shukria Hujjat, 21, a trainer with a black belt in karate and a haul of medals to her name.
    Shukria Hujjat's medalsShukria Hujjat

    Now when I wake up at 5am for praying, and then make breakfast - then, to be honest, I have nothing to do. I am looking for things to busy myself with."

    Shukria Hujjat

  20. Hidden lives under the Taliban's rule

    A woman walks on a street in KabulBBC/Nava Jamshidi

    Good morning, it’s almost 8am in Kabul.

    It’s been 17 months since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, and the country is still facing enormous challenges. Half of the population is facing acute hunger, as well as sub-zero winter temperatures, intermittent electricity supply and a failing economy.

    Life is tough for nearly everyone, but women in the country have also seen their freedoms to work, study and socialise restricted under rules imposed by the Islamist rulers.

    We’ve been speaking to women in different parts of the country, hearing what this has meant and felt like to them.

    “Everything has changed in our daily schedules, and the way we live,” one woman told us.

    Stay with us as we bring you their stories.