Sima Bahous: 90% of Afghan Women and Girls Have Developed Mental Health Issues

Bayan News – Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, presented statistics at a UN Security Council meeting, stating that 90% of Afghan women and girls have developed mental health problems.

Citing the testimonies of Afghan women, Bahous noted that with each passing season, the mental health condition of women and girls in the country worsens.

The UN official also revealed that 8% of women have reported knowing at least one woman or girl who has attempted suicide.

Regarding the Taliban’s enactment of the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law, Bahous stated that this law not only separates women from men but also isolates women from other women.

She pointed out that UN Women’s research shows that only 22% of Afghan women meet with other women outside of their immediate family on a daily or weekly basis, while 18% of women never do so.

Bahous added that the law requires women to fully cover their bodies and faces, prohibits them from speaking in public gatherings, using public transportation without a male companion, and even prevents them from looking at men who are not their relatives.

She further explained, “What makes the situation worse is that many provisions of this law are vague, leading to arbitrary interpretations and enforcement, giving the Taliban broad powers in its implementation.”

Bahous also addressed women’s sense of security in Afghan society, noting that, according to their surveys, 64% of Afghan women say it is completely unsafe for them to leave their homes alone. She added that this number is expected to rise with the enactment of the Taliban’s “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law.

The head of UN Women also highlighted that Afghan men suffer in the current environment and feel less secure when accompanying a woman.

In addition to pointing out the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education, Bahous discussed the impact of their policies on boys, stating that millions of boys attend schools where the curriculum is solely approved by the Taliban, with no knowledge of its content.

In her speech, she also addressed the protests by Afghan women against the Taliban, noting that in 2021, 88% of protests were held in public spaces, but now 94% of them are conducted online.

The UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan was held last night (September 18) in New York. The Taliban’s new “Promotion of Virtue” law has sparked global reactions, with many countries, including the United Nations, condemning this action.

UNAMA Chief: Taliban’s ‘Promotion of Virtue’ Law Endangers Global Engagement