As the country grapples with worsening mental health issues and women's rights violations under Taliban rule, women like Mariam and Habiba remain trapped in a mental health facility, highlighting the urgent need for support and systemic change.**
Trapped in Silence: Afghanistan’s Women Face Dire Mental Health Crisis**
Trapped in Silence: Afghanistan’s Women Face Dire Mental Health Crisis**
With limited resources and oppressive cultural norms, women in Afghanistan struggle to access mental health support while navigating systemic barriers.**
High atop a hill overlooking Kabul lies a mental health centre encircled by barbed wire—a seldom-discussed haven for women in crisis. The women's wing of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), known locally as Qala - or "the fortress" - serves as an essential refuge for those suffering from mental illness. However, the facility currently houses 104 women, struggling to meet an overwhelming demand for care.
Among the patients is Mariam*, a woman believed to be in her mid-20s, who shares her traumatic experiences of domestic violence and a life marked by neglect. After being expelled by her family, who held strict cultural views on female mobility, she found herself homeless before being brought to Qala nine years ago. Despite her radiant spirit, Mariam’s longing for independence feels unattainable; her abusive family remains a barrier to her freedom, and she finds herself at the mercy of a patriarchal society where women cannot live independently.
Similarly, 28-year-old Habiba recounts her own struggles. Her husband abandoned her after remarrying, leaving her isolated from both her home and her children. Like Mariam, she yearns for freedom yet faces the societal machinations that hinder her reintegration into life outside the centre.
The situation is dire; according to psychotherapist Saleema Halib at the facility, some women have remained in the centre for decades due to family abandonment or societal rejection. Recent UN reports highlight the dismal mental health landscape for women in Afghanistan, with a staggering 68% reporting poor mental health conditions as Afghanistan's Taliban government implements stringent laws limiting women's rights.
Women attempting to escape from abusive environments often encounter barriers concerning mobility and healthcare access. Senior psychiatrist Dr. Abdul Wali Utmanzai notes that many patients are unable to seek treatment due to travel restrictions without male guardians. Health services, meanwhile, are overwhelmed, with facilities witnessing mass increases in patients over the last few years.
Among those awaiting help is 16-year-old Zainab, who had been locked in confinement to prevent her from running away due to her deteriorating mental health. After finally being admitted to Qala after a year-long wait, her story mirrors the struggles faced by countless women, many of whom feel trapped indefinitely in their circumstances.
As they navigate a system fraught with stigma and bureaucratic barriers, the resilience of women like Mariam, Habiba, and Zainab draws attention to the fight for mental health resources and the dire need for systemic change in Afghanistan. Whether they will continue to echo in silence or find their paths to recovery remains unclear.
*Names have been changed to protect identities.
