The courageous women journalists of The Afghan Times have published a new report on child labour in Afghanistan in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Child Labour on June 12, 2025.
The 64-page report examines the hardship and exploitation faced by children in several occupations, as they struggle to support their families under Taliban rule. With women banned from employment and economic activities in public life, children are compelled to earn family incomes. The ban on girls attending school beyond sixth grade means they are also compelled to work in the informal economy, and will do so for the rest of their lives.
This urgent message in this report gains a greater sense of urgency as governments and international aid agencies start to recognize and legitimate the Taliban, further deepening the crisis faced by women and girls for decades to come.
Please click here to download the full report [PDF 220MB]
Also see Introduction to Child Labour in Taliban’s Afghanistan by the IUF Asia/Pacific Regional Secretary [June 1, 2025]
