Taliban's Return: Afghan Rights & Global Power Shifts
Taliban's 2021 Afghanistan takeover after US withdrawal sparks human rights fears, especially for women, and alters regional power dynamics.
Topics: politics, individual and values
Example
On 15 August 2021, the Taliban took Kabul as US and NATO forces withdrew, ending a 20-year war and causing the collapse of the Afghan government. The new authorities closed secondary schools to girls in March 2022 and barred women from universities in December 2022; UNESCO estimated in August 2026 that about 2.4 million girls had been kept out of school. Afghanistan is the only country that formally bans girls and women from secondary and higher education. In July 2025, Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government.
Key facts
- The Taliban closed secondary schools to girls in March 2022 and barred women from universities in December 2022; UNESCO estimated 2.4 million girls kept out of school by 2026.
- In July 2025 Russia became the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government.
Limitations
- Information from inside Afghanistan is limited and figures are estimates; the humanitarian picture has changed with aid cuts and returns of refugees from Iran and Pakistan.
Evaluations
politics evaluation
Support
The rapid collapse of a government built over 20 years with Western support shows the limits of outside state-building.
Counterargument
Some argue the collapse came mainly from the withdrawal deal's timing and the government's own corruption, not from state-building as such.
Rebuttal
Either way, the case shows how dependent the Afghan state had become on foreign forces and money.
Additional support
Russia's 2025 recognition shows states splitting on whether to engage the Taliban, with the West still refusing recognition.
individual and values evaluation
Support
Banning girls from secondary school and women from university denies millions the chance to learn, a stark case of rights depending on where one is born.
Counterargument
The Taliban say their rules follow their interpretation of Islam and Afghan tradition, and reject foreign criticism.
Rebuttal
Many Muslim-majority countries and scholars reject the ban as having no religious basis, so it is a political choice, not a requirement of faith.
Additional support
Afghan women have run secret home schools and online classes despite the risks, showing individual resistance.
Sources
- The Star (Reuters) (2026-08-12): Limits on women's education in Afghanistan will likely further weaken school quality, UNESCO says
- Associated Press (via FOX 5 DC) (2025-07-03): Russia becomes first nation to formally recognize Taliban-led government in Afghanistan