Afghanistan Women Suicides

A recent report reveals a disturbing trend: 140 women in 27 provinces of Afghanistan have taken their own lives in the past three years. The majority of those who died by suicide were young women and girls.

"The news of a woman's suicide in Badakhshan due to her daughter's forced marriage to a member of the Taliban has recently been published in the media. This mother was fully aware that the marriage would destroy her daughter's dreams and future, trapping her in a web of violence and social restrictions.

Within her heart, a battle raged—a battle between love and helplessness in changing her daughter's fate. This tragedy not only caused suffering for her family but also raised alarm bells within society.

Several other young girls may also face such a fate. This incident highlights the urgent need for fundamental changes and the protection of women's rights in Afghanistan, at a time when many stories remain in silence."

The report of 140 women in 27 provinces of Afghanistan highlights the devastating impact of the Taliban's rule on Afghan women. Under the Taliban, women face severe restrictions, including a recent ban on women hearing each other's voices. These measures, deemed dehumanizing by women themselves, have fueled fears of permanent confinement at home. Psychologists warn of a rising mental health crisis, with increased depression and suicide risks, particularly among young women denied access to education.

Mental health professionals in Afghanistan have noted that the severe restrictions imposed on women, including bans on education and employment, have led to a mental health crisis among women and girls. This crisis is exacerbated by increased violence and forced marriages.

International condemnation of the Taliban’s actions has been widespread, with figures like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and organizations such as Amnesty International accusing the Taliban of attempting to erase women from society. The situation in Afghanistan regarding female suicides is deeply concerning since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.

The findings reveal that from 2021 to 2024, there were 140 reported cases of suicide. The highest number was recorded in Faryab province (25), followed by Ghor (12), Badakhshan (10), and Badghis, Bamyan, and Daikundi (9 each). The remaining provinces recorded cases in the range of seven, six, and five. Residents of these provinces are urging the international community to pressure the Taliban to reopen schools and enable safe work for women to prevent more suicide cases among women and girls. Despite denials by local Taliban officials, accounts of abuse, forced marriages, and suicides highlight the severe impact of these restrictions on women's lives.

Silent suicides

Experts believe the actual number of suicides among women is likely higher than reported figures, due to cultural and societal pressures that discourage families from reporting such incidents. The reports indicate that women and girls are driven to suicide by a complex mix of factors, including economic difficulties, poverty, hunger, forced marriages, domestic violence, threats from the Taliban, sexual assault, and abductions by Taliban members. Families are also sometimes forced into agreeing to marry their daughters to Taliban members, among other unreported motivations.

The majority of women who have taken their own lives were between the ages of 15 and 25, with the majority being young girls.

In one recent case, a woman in Badakhshan committed suicide after her daughter was forced into marriage with a Taliban member.The story goes like,

"In a remote village in Badakhshan, a passionate and eager woman was living her life. Despite all the hardships, she worked tirelessly day and night to raise her daughter in a patriarchal society, hoping that one day her daughter would become a doctor, teacher, or engineer, and escape the oppression and limitations of their world. However, she was unaware of the tragic fate awaiting her daughter—a fate that would eventually lead her to slavery, shackled by one of the Taliban officers, bringing her pain and suffering.

This mother, who could sense the danger every time she heard the knock on the door at night, knew her daughter was on the brink of becoming a victim. A great fear and terror filled her heart, knowing that if she resisted the Taliban’s demands, not only would her daughter's life be at risk, but so would the lives of her husband and sons. She was painfully aware that if she refused, they would forcibly take her daughter away and throw her into a dark, merciless world.

On that very night, when the cruelty and oppression showed their true faces, the mother decided to end this geographical and cultural bondage, this helplessness and vulnerability. On the morning of the wedding, as everyone prepared for the celebration, this mother made a brave and heartbreaking decision: she chose to end her life in protest against her daughter's forced marriage to a Taliban officer. Perhaps she did this to free herself from her suffering, or maybe to save her daughter from a tragic fate.

This story tells of the pain carried by women—women who, caught between life and a society full of limitations, sometimes make the hardest decisions to protect their children from a cruel destiny."

Following the Taliban’s new restrictions on women, including enforcing full facial covering and requiring women to hide their voices in public, many women have reported feeling depressed, fearful, and helpless, with some contemplating suicide. These restrictions have been widely condemned as a form of social imprisonment, exacerbating the already dire situation for women in Afghanistan.