Taliban restrictions drive women in Afghanistan desperate for hope

Afghanistan (MNN) — Eastern Afghanistan has continued to reel with aftershocks since a 6.0-magnitude quake struck August 31. The death toll surpassed 2,200 last week and is expected to rise as recovery work continues. But for local women, the quake is only one crisis among many. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan four years ago, the militant group has tightened restrictions on women’s travel, education, employment, and even the use of their voices. The UN reports that these abuses of women’