Taliban marks five years in power as women’s labor share falls to 5 % and security remains fragile
Five years after retaking Kabul, the Taliban celebrate their rule while women remain absent from public ceremonies. International labour data show that women now account for about 5.1 % of Afghanistan’s workforce, down sharply from 2020, and the share of young women classified as NEET has risen to 84 %. The regime reports modest economic growth driven by customs duties and regional trade, but periodic IS‑K attacks continue, including a recent grenade blast near a Hazara community school.
Relations with Pakistan stay tense, with accusations of harboring anti‑Pakistani militants and cross‑border strikes. India sent diplomats to the anniversary celebrations, signalling diplomatic engagement with the Taliban government.
How this was covered
- Left-leaning outlets covered this 38h later
Why it matters
The shrinking participation of women in the economy and ongoing security threats affect everyday livelihoods and regional stability.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage emphasizes the Taliban’s severe repression of women and a looming human-rights crisis, while right-leaning coverage centers on the fallout of the U.S. withdrawal, veteran trauma and the Taliban’s international isolation; Centrist coverage reports labor-force statistics and diplomatic debates without strong moral judgment.
LEFT
The Taliban’s rule is portrayed as a grave human-rights disaster that has erased women from public life and education.
CENTER
The story is presented through labor-force data and diplomatic context, noting women’s labor share at 5 % and the split between sanctions and engagement.
RIGHT
The focus is on the consequences of the U.S. exit, veteran trauma and the Taliban’s stable yet isolated regime.
The left emphasises
- systemic oppression of women and girls as a crime against humanity
- women banned from schools, gyms, work and forced into silence
- the disappearance of women and girls from public life
The right emphasises
- the 2021 withdrawal was a disaster that inflicted moral injury on U.S. veterans
- Taliban rule is stable but internationally isolated
- Afghan society has regressed with food insecurity and limited schooling for girls
How this story developed
- Aug 13 Taliban marks five years in power as UN warns of worsening rights crisis
- Aug 15 Insurgents temporarily seized the district capital of Yaftal‑e Payeen in Badakhshan.
- Aug 16 Taliban forces repelled a brief seizure of positions by the Afghanistan Freedom Front in Badakhshan’s Zebak district.
- Aug 18 The International Labour Organization reported that women constitute about 5.1 % of Afghanistan’s workforce in 2026, down from 16.5 % in 2020.
- Aug 19 A grenade blast near a Hazara community school underscored the persistence of IS‑K attacks.
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