Last week, the Taliban enforced a sweeping internet ban across several northern provinces of Afghanistan, a move that further silences the voices of women and girls in the country. On September 30, they initiated a complete shutdown of both mobile and fiber optic internet services nationwide, an action that has raised serious concerns among human rights advocates.
The Taliban justifies this draconian measure by claiming it is necessary to “prevent immorality.” Historically, the concept of “morality” has been wielded as a tool of oppression in Afghanistan, disproportionately targeting women and girls. In a society where women are often viewed solely through the lens of their relationships to men—as daughters, sisters, wives, or mothers—the Taliban’s definition of “immorality” frequently translates to restrictions that primarily affect women. This is a continuation of the regime’s long-standing view that women’s freedoms and expressions can lead to moral decay, thereby justifying their systematic control over half of the population.
The recent internet ban is another strategy employed by the Taliban to exert control over women and girls. Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban have systematically dismantled physical spaces where women could resist their impositions, effectively erasing their presence in public life—from the streets and universities to workplaces.
For many women in Afghanistan, access to the internet has become a vital tool for resistance against what many have termed “gender apartheid.” With limited opportunities for physical protest or political engagement, women have turned to digital platforms to document human rights abuses and connect with allies and activists around the world. However, the recent internet blackout threatens to sever these crucial links, further isolating Afghan women in a climate of repression where global attention is already waning.
The internet has also provided a lifeline for education, particularly in the face of the Taliban’s ban on girls studying beyond the sixth grade. The abrupt loss of online classes has plunged many female students into despair, as educational organizations fear that this ban will eliminate their last remaining opportunity for learning and connection to the outside world.
One Afghan woman, who requested anonymity and goes by the name Meena, previously operated an online clothing business as a means of independence and income. “The Taliban would impose digital gender apartheid if they could find a way to shut the internet off only for women,” she remarked last week. The shutdown, she explained, not only threatens her livelihood but also strips her of autonomy, identity, and vital connections with others both within and outside Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban enforced the total disconnection of internet services, attempts to reach Meena have been unsuccessful, highlighting the immediate and personal impact of this authoritarian move.
The Taliban’s internet shutdowns represent not merely a political maneuver to control Afghan society, but also a deliberate act of patriarchal authoritarianism that endangers the already marginalized voices of women and girls. By eliminating their access to information, education, and communal support, the Taliban is effectively crushing any remaining avenues for feminist resistance and empowerment.
In light of these developments, the urgent lifting of the internet ban is critical. For Afghan women, regaining access to the digital world is not just a matter of convenience; it is a lifeline to knowledge, financial independence, and the global community that stands in solidarity with their struggle for rights and freedoms.
