Full Breakdown
Afghanistan’s Female Labour Force Falls to 5% Five Years After Taliban Takeover
8/18/2026, 8:09:41 PM
Core Event: Sharp Drop in Female Employment
On August 18, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released a report showing that women accounted for only 5.1 % of Afghanistan’s labour force in 2026, down from 16.5 % in 2020. This represents less than one-third of the pre-Taliban level and is the second-lowest female participation rate worldwide, behind Yemen. Male employment, by contrast, continued to rise.
Background & Context: Taliban Restrictions and Economic Shock
The Taliban regained control in August 2021, ending a two-decade period of comparatively greater educational and economic freedoms for women. The regime’s bans on secondary education and most formal employment for women have been identified as the primary drivers of the decline. The country’s GDP contracted by roughly 15 % in 2021 and has only modestly recovered, remaining well below pre-2021 levels. Large-scale returns of Afghans—over 6 million from Iran and Pakistan between 2023 and May 2026—have added pressure to an already strained labour market.
Data & Statistics
- Female labour force participation: 5.1 % (2026) vs. 16.5 % (2020) – ILO.
- Overall employment: 8.5 million workers in 2026, a 14 % rise from the 2022 low – ILO.
- Women-owned businesses: increased roughly ten-fold since the Taliban’s return – United Nations Development Programme.
- Youth “NEET” rates: 84 % of young women not in education, employment or training (2026) versus 76 % in 2020; young men’s NEET rate remained below 30 %.
- Inflation: rose from <1 % in May 2025 to about 8 % by May 2026 – ILO.
Official Statements & Responses
Tite Habiyakare, senior coordinator and head of the ILO Office for Afghanistan, warned that the country cannot build a resilient labour market while a large share of its population remains excluded. The UN Development Programme highlighted the growth of women-run enterprises as a rare positive trend amid broader restrictions.
Verbatim Quote
“Afghanistan cannot build a resilient labour market while such a large share of its population remains excluded from economic activity,” — Tite Habiyakare
