"A chilling report reveals the struggles of women in Afghanistan's mental health system, where societal norms and Taliban restrictions trap many within the facility, leaving them with little hope for a better future."
"Women in Afghanistan’s Mental Health System: A Fortress of Silence and Suffering"
"Women in Afghanistan’s Mental Health System: A Fortress of Silence and Suffering"
"Inside Kabul’s largest women-centric mental health facility, patients face dire situations as social restrictions and familial abandonment persist."
High on a hill in the western part of Kabul, behind a formidable steel gate adorned with barbed wire, a hidden realm of suffering and neglect exists—an Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) mental health center solely for women. Referred to by locals as Qala or the fortress, this facility becomes a last refuge for women grappling with severe mental health issues. A recent visit by the BBC highlights the distressing reality of this overcrowded center, which currently hosts 104 female patients, many of whom are ensnared in tragic circumstances.
Among the residents is Mariam*, a woman in her mid-20s, living there for nine years due to the devastating effects of domestic violence and family abandonment. Once living on the streets, her happiness and resilience shine through, as she assists with cleaning around the facility. However, she remains unable to leave, symbolizing the oppressive societal structures in Afghanistan where women are often denied autonomy or independence, bound by culture and Taliban laws mandating male guardianship for access to education, work, and travel.
In another dormitory, Habiba, a 28-year-old mother, echoes a similar plight. Her husband’s remarrying forced her into the center, and despite her wish to reunite with her children, the social norm of male guardianship bars her from finding a path back to her old life.
The stories of Mariam and Habiba represent a harrowing norm at Qala, where abandonment and societal neglect prevail. Staff at the facility reported that some patients have endured decades of confinement, exacerbated by the legacy of decades of conflict. As the Taliban government maintains its stance on women's rights—claiming to safeguard them—UN reports indicate a significant decline in mental health among women, with 68% describing their mental well-being as poor.
As demand for mental health services surges, the center struggles to accommodate new patients, leading to heart-wrenching situations like that of Zainab, a 16-year-old girl confined to her home due to severe mental distress. Her family’s desperate attempts to seek aid were thwarted by a lack of available beds, trapping her in an unrelenting cycle of fear and instability.
Afghanistan’s complex reality reveals a stark need for reform in mental health care and women's rights. With many women unable to escape the confines of Qala and little hope to reconnect with society or family, the mental health crisis deepens, leaving an entire generation of women like Mariam, Habiba, and Zainab caught in a fortress of silence and suffering.
