The United Kingdom’s embassy for Afghanistan on Monday called for an end to violence against women and girls in Afghanistan and across the globe, emphasizing the urgent need to address gender-based violence.
Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the embassy stated on X: “Gender-based violence is violence committed against a person based on their gender. During this 16-day campaign, and every day, let us recommit to ending violence against women and girls in Afghanistan and everywhere.”
The United Nations in Afghanistan has echoed the call, urging the country’s de facto Taliban authorities to take decisive measures to end violence against women and girls. Afghan women continue to face severe restrictions on their freedoms, as well as the systemic erosion of their fundamental rights, under the Taliban regime.
Launching the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, the UN highlighted alarmingly high rates of violence against women in Afghanistan. This violence is exacerbated by ongoing discrimination and the dismantling of mechanisms meant to promote gender equality in the country.
Amnesty International also raised concerns on X, criticizing the international community’s response to the Taliban’s oppressive policies. “Afghan women are frustrated by the weak and selective role the international community has played to address the Taliban’s trampling of their human rights,” the organization noted.
Amnesty added that Afghan women are demanding “effective strategies and actions to bring an end to their catastrophic conditions.”
A global call to action
The UK, UN, and Amnesty International’s messages come amid widespread international recognition of the worsening conditions for Afghan women. With their freedoms and access to education, work, and public life severely curtailed, Afghan women and girls face not only systemic oppression but also heightened risks of violence.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which runs until December 10, Human Rights Day, serves as a global call to action to combat violence against women and advocate for gender equality. For Afghan women, however, the campaign underscores a grim reality of enduring systemic abuse under the Taliban’s rule.
