
Aug 4, 2026
✦The Guardian
After five brutal years of Taliban rule, Afghan women and girls need our help - and I have a plan
Next week marks the fifth anniversary of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Since then, women and girls have faced severe repression, including bans on education and work. In June, troops fired on protesters, killing two people. UN observers now describe the situation as gender apartheid, leaving many girls in danger.