The Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls have reached an unprecedented level in modern history, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), which has urged the international community to increase pressure on the Taliban for violating global conventions on women’s rights.
Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, HRW reported that the Taliban have intensified their repression of women, even going as far as ordering windows to be covered to prevent women from being seen outside.
“This year, Afghanistan not only continues to face the world’s worst women’s rights crisis, but the situation has worsened due to the Taliban’s relentless attacks on the rights of women and girls,” Heather Barr, associate director of women’s rights at HRW, said in the report.
In response to these restrictions, Afghan women’s rights activists have launched a global campaign to classify gender apartheid as a crime against humanity—an effort that has gained support from several countries.
HRW also called on governments to hold the Taliban accountable for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
“Although progress is slow, the world is starting to respond,” the report stated. “The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has requested arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders on charges of crimes against humanity related to gender persecution.”
Women in the country continue to voice frustration over global inaction.
“As Afghan women face the most severe oppression in our history, the world continues to watch in silence. We call for the restoration of our human and Islamic rights,” Roya Salimi, a member of the Purple Saturdays movement, said.
Others, including women barred from education and employment, have urged immediate action.
“March 8 is International Women’s Day, but Afghan women are not even allowed to celebrate it,” said a woman protester in Kabul. “We have been erased from society, yet the world remains silent. We ask all women globally to stand with us on this day.”
HRW previously reported that Taliban policies have not only stripped women of their rights but have also worsened Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis by restricting women’s participation in the economy. The severe limitations on media, ethnic and religious minorities, and civil society groups have further contributed to the country’s deteriorating conditions.
As the Taliban tighten their grip on society, Afghan women are calling for stronger international action to push back against the repression they face every day.
