Impact of Iran-Israel Conflict on Afghan Women’s Rights and Humanitarian Crisis

Afghanistan is already suffering the serious humanitarian and political crisis but the situation is being exacerbated by the continuing conflict between Iran and Israel. Roza Otunbayeva, the UN secretary-general’s special representative in Afghanistan, addressed the Security Council to warn that Israel and Iran are using missiles and airstrikes to disrupt important trade routes, raising the price of food and fuel at a time when many life-saving medications are being imported and many Afghans returning to their country are fleeing Iran because of the airstrike attacks. More than 600,000 Afghans have repatriated back to their country, Pakistan and Iran this year and the recent numbers returning back to the country via Iran have recorded in excess of 10,000 daily. 

These are people that come back and burden the communities and are also a burden to the Taliban regime that has tried to absorb it a lot but have reached their extreme without the prolonged international support. Afghanistan has an economy that relies mostly on Iranian imports, which entail food and fuel, and the war has led to a price explosion and shortages in supply. Ordinary Afghans are facing tougher realities as inflation and devaluing of the currency takes place. 

There is no place for us, no safe shelter, no refuge — especially for the thousands of vulnerable Afghan girls who came to Iran out of desperation, denied the right to education in their own country.https://t.co/dhtPOD1Zh9 pic.twitter.com/7we9gtTnNi

— Zan Times (@ZanTimes) June 20, 2025

Another issue is the frequent arrival of migrants to Iran and the subsequent movement of people back to Afghanistan, who were harassed and deprived of any freedom in Iran. Its rippling effects are experienced the most by Afghanistan women and girls who are already living under systemic discrimination in Taliban-controlled regions.

Women and Girls: The Most Vulnerable

The Taliban “law on the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice” in August 2024 enshrined restrictions keeping women and girls out of public life, including bans on girls’ secondary education, restrictions on work, and restrictions on freedom of movement and expression. Roza Otunbayeva noted that the international community remains “extremely concerned” that the interaction with the Taliban has not strengthened women’s rights or inclusive governance.

Her description on the continued prohibition of girls to continue their education past primary school was the crudest form of discrimination and asked the Taliban to repeal the ban and give the girls a right to education. Joyce Msuya, the UN Assistant Secretary-General on Humanitarian Affairs, emphasized the proportion of the crisis: half of the Afghan population needs their help to stay alive, one in five Afghans is hungry, and 3.5 million children are in acute condition due to hunger. 

The higher rate of maternal mortality is higher than the rest of the world by a factor of 2.5. Incidences of funding declines and facility reductions have led to closure of 420 health centers serving more than three million individuals. Other nutrition stations that are vital in the treatment of malnourished children and pregnant women also have been shut down which left tens of thousands without vital treatment.

Political and Diplomatic Challenges

Taliban’s Role and International Engagement

Taliban rulers have been able to offer relative stability and some level of economic growth, yet Taliban rulers are seen to reinstate repressive policies that do not win them or even the suffering Afghans any friends abroad. The Taliban complains about the unblocking of bank accounts, sanctions, and the need to receive assistance, which makes diplomatic work more difficult. The UN’s “Comprehensive Approach” tries to create peace, reintegration, and adherence to international obligations but confronts considerable challenges due to persistent human rights violations and political constraints.

The Iran-Israel conflict poses the risk of escalating the instability in Afghanistan in terms of disruption to trade, rising humanitarian requirements and the possibility of igniting proxy wars in the region. Analysts caution that the crisis makes political affiliations and even causes deeper divisions within the country, which adds to the establishing of long lasting peace.

Regional Context and Refugee Dynamics

The millions of returnees and refugees in Afghanistan especially the Iranians resettling there are the allies of the Afghanistan migrants who are likely to be discriminated against and insecure due to the Iran-Israel war. The increased insecurity in the region also poses danger of more displacement and suffering by all, especially women and the children. With Afghanistan and Iran as neighbors, Pakistan is also still worried about spillover effects such as the refugee movements and the sectarian contradictions.

The Human Cost: Women’s Rights and Education

Systematic Discrimination and Education Ban

The policies of the Taliban have presently wiped out the rights of women and the most popular and violent effect is the prohibition of girls at higher level schools. This discrimination is against the human rights law and segregates Afghanistan within the topography of nations. Sima Bahous, the Executive Director of UN Women underlined that bureaucracy and legal restrictions along with funding cuts to assistance massively reduce the capacity of such organizations as UN Women to assist the women of Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, Afghanistan women have proven to be very resilient, continuing their education and general life under the disguise of underground schools and personal activism. They are a pillar of hope through the increasing repression.

Urgent Need for International Support

Lack of significant progress in welfare of women by the international community may only serve to legalize gender difference and the consequent cycles of poverty and violence. International involvement and pressure should continue to safeguard the rights of Afghan women so that they could access education, healthcare, and involvement in the life of a nation.

The UN has directed immediate de-escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict as a way of avoiding the further destabilization of Afghanistan. The supply of international assistance is essential to facilitate safe, orderly returns of the migrants, the maintenance of humanitarian efforts, as well as exerting pressure on the Taliban so that they observe human rights and embrace inclusiveness in governance.

Diplomacy and Multilateral Efforts

Building Confidence Through Cooperation

The coming UN home office meetings on counter-narcotics and development of the private sector in Doha would be the possibility to develop the confidence and cooperation between regional and international players. These attempts are supposed to deal with the economic problems of Afghanistan and develop reintegration ways with the global system.

It is a question of fundamental concerns on human rights and political participation especially those of women and girls to succeed. There can be no stable stability in Afghanistan unless there is some progress in these areas.

Afghan Women’s Resilience and Leadership

Afghan women continue to lead quietly but assertively, setting up hidden schools and organizing in the small space left to them. As Sima Bahous has said, “Afghan women continue to lead the way. They have opened underground schools; organized in silence; built lives in those slivers of space left to them. They have shown unshakable determination, even when the world falters.”

Their resolve and persistence put the necessity of change and the potential for change into sharp focus, even in the most extreme of circumstances.