KABUL: In a recent report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised alarm bells about the dire situation facing women and girls under the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The organization contends that the Taliban authorities are actively perpetrating gender persecution, constituting a crime against humanity.
Since assuming control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has enacted a series of laws and policies designed to deprive women and girls of their fundamental rights solely because of their gender. This systematic and cruel assault on the basic rights of Afghan women and girls has garnered international attention and condemnation.
Elizabeth Evenson, the international justice director at Human Rights Watch, stressed the urgency of coordinated action by concerned governments to hold the responsible Taliban leaders accountable for their actions. She stated, “The Taliban’s cruel and methodical denial of the basic rights of women and girls to remove them from public life has received global attention. Coordinated support by concerned governments is needed to bring the Taliban leaders responsible to justice.”
HRW’s report echoes the findings of other organizations, including Amnesty International and the International Committee of Jurists, all of which have accused the Taliban of committing crimes of gender persecution in Afghanistan. Heather Barr, the director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, highlighted the potential for the International Criminal Court to bring charges and prosecute those responsible.
In response to these accusations, the Islamic Emirate, which is the name used by the Taliban, has dismissed the reports as propaganda. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, stated, “Institutions and groups occasionally engage in propaganda against Afghanistan and make false claims. No one’s rights had been neglected, and all citizens’ Shariah rights have been given.” However, these claims have been met with skepticism given the mounting evidence to the contrary.
Amidst the turmoil, women’s rights activists within Afghanistan have called on the Islamic Emirate to ensure that women have access to work and education. Suraya Paikan, a prominent women’s rights activist, emphasized the importance of upholding international norms and laws, particularly regarding women’s and girls’ education. She urged the government to resolve these pressing issues promptly.
Meanwhile, the non-profit organization Freedom Now has expressed its solidarity with Afghan women, who continue to courageously advocate for their rights despite the oppressive conditions. The organization highlighted the alarming number of directives issued by the Taliban, which effectively erase women from public life, and called on the international community to take swift action in response to the ongoing human rights crisis in Afghanistan.
