The women housed in Kabul's Qala mental health centre share heartbreaking stories of abuse, abandonment, and a system that fails to provide the help they so desperately need. With ongoing restrictions from the Taliban, the future looks bleak for those seeking independence and recovery.**
Hidden Voices: The Struggles of Women in Afghanistan's Mental Health System**
Hidden Voices: The Struggles of Women in Afghanistan's Mental Health System**
Women in Afghanistan's mental health facilities face a dire lack of resources and support, trapped by societal norms and personal circumstances.**
High on a hill in Kabul, Afghanistan, a seldom-discussed facility known as Qala operates as a mental health center specifically for women, established by the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS). As one of the few institutions focused on women’s mental health in the country, it is currently struggling to support 104 women, many of whom face daunting challenges stemming from societal norms and personal trauma.
Among those residing there, Mariam*, a woman who has spent nine long years inside, shares her story of domestic violence and subsequent homelessness. Abused by her brothers for visiting friends, she was ultimately forced out of her family home. Although Mariam tries to remain positive, eager to start a new life, she is trapped as there is no safe air for her outside the facility. "I want to marry someone here in Kabul," she says, her hope shining bright despite overwhelming circumstances.
Habiba, another patient at the center, was brought in by her husband after he married again. Now separated from her children, she longs to reunite with them but has nowhere to go. The stories of these women are not isolated; many face abandonment, having been discarded by families after suffering abuse and mistreatment. As a result, some patients have reportedly lived at Qala for decades, seeking healing in a space that still offers little in the way of hope.
According to Saleema Halib, a psychotherapist at the center, many women in Afghanistan endure severe mental health crises that have their roots in years of systemic gender inequality and societal stigma. Nonetheless, the Taliban government asserts it is committed to addressing women's rights and health. However, a 2024 UN report reveals the opposite, citing that 68% of surveyed Afghan women reported experiencing poor mental health, predominantly due to increased constraints on their freedoms.
In a dire twist, the center has witnessed a significant increase in patient numbers over the past four years, leaving many women without the necessary help. Dr. Abdul Wali Utmanzai, a senior psychiatrist, highlights the alarming situation that sees many families unable to support the women and girls who need care, especially as legal restrictions impede their ability to seek help.
Zainab, a 16-year-old girl shackled at home, recently found a place at Qala after her family struggled for a year to secure her admission. Her father describes the trauma she faced when a bombing at her school left her mentally scarred. Zainab's story underscores the disastrous mental health crisis exacerbated by conflict and societal constraints.
As these women navigate life at Qala, the question remains: will they find the support they need to break free from the confines of their current reality, or will they become yet another statistic in a system plagued by silence and neglect?
