Until Sep 96, women in Afghanistan were highly involved in public life, wearing comtemporary clothes, participated in government, attended coed schools and worked in all professions, ie nurses, lawyers and teachers. 40% of the doctors were women.

The Taliban militia overthrew the government and imposed a brutal system of gender apartheid on 11.5 million citizens for the crime of being female. Under Taliban law, the windows of a woman's house must be painted black. She may only leave the house if wearing traditional clothing accompanied by a close male relative. Women may not work outside the home, attend school, cannot teach their own daughters to read or allow them to attend schools. Women cannot be treated by a male doctor and healthcare for women has all but vanished. The Taliban justify this treatment based on an extremist form of Islam. These women are now committing suicide in increasing numbers