‘Sense of helplessness’ for Afghan women on Taliban NGO work ban

A Taliban fighter stands guard as a woman walks past in Kabul, Afghanistan, on December 26, 2022 [File: Ebrahim Noroozi,/AP Photo]

Working as a female mental health professional in Afghanistan, life for 42-year-old Alia has not been easy under the country’s Taliban rulers.

Since seizing power last year, the Taliban have imposed increasing restrictions on women’s freedoms – from education to clothing, to their everyday movements, and now work. This has made it hard for Alia, who is the primary provider for her family, to pursue her career with the International Rescue Committee (IRC).