High on a hill overlooking Kabul, the women's wing of the Afghanistan Red Crescent Society’s mental health center, commonly known as Qala, remains a hidden refuge for women in need. With 104 patients enduring neglect and psychological struggles, these women's stories are often unheard.
Mariam, stuck in the center for nine years due to family rejection and past abuse, longs to be free but lacks a safe place to go. She dreams of marriage in Kabul, fearing return to an unsupportive family. Habiba, on the other hand, was ushered by her husband out of their home after he remarried, leaving her without shelter or connection to her children.
As societal norms dictate women’s dependence on male relatives, many female patients find themselves in a vicious cycle of economic instability and trauma, leading to skyrocketing mental health issues. According to a UN report, 68% of Afghan women suffer from severe mental health challenges, worsened by the Taliban’s oppressive policies against women.
Despite reassurances from the Taliban government about women's rights, access to services is severely limited, especially as women are required to have male chaperones for mobility. This has led to many like Mariam and Habiba being effectively trapped within the facility, as others suffer long waiting lists for care.
Consequently, new patients like Zainab, a newly admitted adolescent who had been chained at home, symbolize the urgent need for mental health resources. Many struggle without appropriate help, and the grim reality remains that the more women the center cares for, the fewer can receive the assistance they desperately need.
