Half of Afghan women now leave their ‌homes only once or twice a month as Taliban-imposed restrictions curtail their freedom of movement and participation in public life, according to data released by UN Women on Wednesday. “Half a decade after the ⁠Taliban takeover in August 2021, Afghanistan has systematically dismantled the rights of half its population, making it a global outlier with no parallel in the modern world,” UN Women said in a statement. UN Women said the Taliban authorities have issued more than 100 decrees targeting women and girls ‌since taking ⁠power, institutionalising discrimination and deepening what it described as the world’s most severe women’s rights crisis. The Taliban argue they respect women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture. Seven in 10 women described their mental health as “bad” or “very bad”, citing isolation, loss of opportunities and limited access to support networks.