Afghan Women Face Harsh Realities After Deportation from Iran

Following their deportation from Iran, a group of Afghan women reflects on their lost opportunities and the daunting reality of returning to a regime that curtails their rights.

At the Islam Qala border crossing last week, three Afghan sisters stood in stark contrast to their previous lives in Iran. Having been among the more than 1.4 million Afghans expelled by Iranian authorities, the sisters faced the grim prospect of returning to a life under the Taliban, where their freedoms, once experienced, vanished.

“Get ready to cope,” an aid worker advised them, a phrase that embodies the resigned acknowledgment of their new reality. Khurshid, the youngest sister at 17, articulated the sorrow of this transition: “Afghanistan is like a cage for women, and we’re coming back to that cage.” The sisters, stripped of their dreams of education and independence, understood that they would need to adopt covering garments, leaving behind their more liberal lifestyle in Iran.

The deportations from Iran, along with similar measures in Pakistan, have decimated the lives of many Afghan women and girls who had sought refuge from the Taliban's oppressive rule since their resurgence in 2021. Under the current Afghan regime, women face some of the most extreme restrictions globally. The law forbids girls from attending school beyond sixth grade, and women are largely barred from most jobs and public places, greatly limiting their freedom of movement and personal agency.

As the sisters prepare to re-enter a world where their rights are severely curtailed, they carry not only the weight of their circumstances but also the strength of their resolve. Khurshid’s attempt to defy Taliban mandates by refusing to wear a hijab in public serves as a testament to their enduring spirit, even as reality looms ominously ahead.