The year since the unexpectedly swift return to power of the Taliban has been a difficult one for the people of Afghanistan. The economy all but collapsed, international aid dropped sharply and the country suffered one of the most devastating earthquakes in its history.
One year on from the U.S. withdrawal, and with no country still officially recognizing the Taliban, in this edition of The Agenda Juliet Mann considers just what the future may hold for the Taliban leaders and the people of Afghanistan.
The Afghan economy was in dire straits even before the Taliban's second rise, but there are now just a few signs that things could be improving. Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director of the Asia Program at The Wilson Center in Washington DC joins the program to consider where the economy is heading, and explain how the rest of the world may be able to help the millions of Afghans living in poverty.
A recent UN report painted a damning picture of human rights abuses in the country over the past 12 months – particularly highlighting the problems facing women under the new regime. Farzana Elham Kochai, an Afghan MP now living in exile in Norway, discusses what she's doing from afar to help the women and girls of her home nation. She also outlines her concerns that the conflict in Ukraine is in danger of leaving the problems of Afghanistan forgotten.
Also on the show is Sam Mort, Chief of Communication, Advocacy and Civic Engagement for UNICEF Afghanistan – who explains how her organization is dealing the Taliban leaders, and why, in spite of everything, they're managing to provide thousands of school places for those most in need of education.