A visit to a Kabul mental health center reveals the harrowing stories of women trapped by circumstances beyond their control, struggling with societal constraints and a lack of support as the Taliban's oppression deepens the mental health crisis.
Women's Struggles Amidst Afghanistan's Mental Health Crisis
Women's Struggles Amidst Afghanistan's Mental Health Crisis
The limited mental health facilities in Afghanistan leave women in despair, facing a cycle of abuse and dependence.
High up on a hill in Kabul, behind barriers and little public knowledge, lies a mental health center known as Qala, a place dedicated to women suffering from mental illness. The facility, operated by the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), is one of the few resources available to Afghan women, currently housing 104 patients who face insurmountable challenges in their recovery.
Among these women is Mariam, a young woman in her mid-20s, who has spent nearly a decade at Qala after suffering violence from her family, leading to abandonment and homelessness. Despite her ordeal, Mariam maintains a positive spirit, singing and volunteering, yearning for independence but trapped in the facility due to her abusive family's rejection. She expresses her desire to marry someone within Kabul, stating, "I want to marry someone here in Kabul, because even if I go back home, they'll just abandon me again."
Another patient, Habiba, 28, recounts her husband's betrayal, as he forced her into the center after remarrying. She longs to reunite with her three sons, who live with an uncle, but with her husband unwilling to take her back, she finds herself in a similar predicament. Both women represent a grim reality where ongoing patriarchal norms and the Taliban's oppressive regulations make it impossible for women to gain autonomy.
Mental health issues are prevalent among Afghan women due to years of conflict, stigma, and a lack of understanding, compounded by strict regulations that hinder their ability to seek help. Dr. Abdul Wali Utmanzai, a psychiatrist in Kabul, recognizes the alarming rise in mental health patients, particularly young women facing severe social and economic pressures, stating, “80% of my patients are young women with family issues.”
Access to facilities like Qala is rapidly declining, leading to a backlog of desperate cases. One family had been attempting to admit their 16-year-old daughter Zainab for a year, but there was no room available. Zainab, whose condition worsened after a traumatic school experience, had been tethered at home with shackles. Upon her admission, her father expressed concern that her struggles brought dishonor to the family.
As Afghanistan's mental health crisis deepens, these women, including Mariam, Habiba, and Zainab, remain trapped within a flawed system, highlighting the need for urgent support and acknowledgment of their plight. If current trends continue, generations of women may face lives filled with neglect and abandonment inside facilities like Qala, while the world looks on.
