Afghan families sell their daughters to survive the extreme poverty. Afghan women and girls are facing both the collapse of their rights and dreams and risks to their basic survival. “The crisis for women and girls in Afghanistan is escalating with no end in sight,” said Heather Barr, associate women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch. “Taliban policies have rapidly turned many women and girls into virtual prisoners in their homes, depriving the country of one of its most precious resources, the skills and talents of the female half of the population.” Loss of Income, Employment Nearly all the women interviewed who previously had paid employment had lost their jobs. A few days after the Taliban took over Ghazni and Kabul, Mullah Baradar [a senior Taliban leader] said that women can go back to work,” a government worker said. “I went to work, but I was not allowed to go in. The Taliban members said, ‘We don’t need women to work anymore. You should not come back until further notice.’ But we are breadwinners of our families.” Her last paycheck was in July 2021 and she is losing hope of being paid.