HRW: Afghanistan Faces World’s Worst Women’s Rights Crisis Under Taliban Rule
In a stark assessment marking the third anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has labeled Afghanistan as experiencing the “world’s most serious women’s rights crisis.”
More details in the following report:
According to an article published yesterday by Amu TV, The Human Rights Organization has emphasized that the women’s rights situation is compounded by one of the globe’s worst humanitarian crises, characterized by severe underfunding of aid and a mass return of Afghans from neighboring Pakistan.
Since the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, 2021, Afghan women and girls have faced unprecedented restrictions. HRW reports that Afghanistan is the only country where girls are prohibited from receiving an education beyond the sixth grade. Women’s freedoms have been systematically curtailed, with bans on employment, limitations on movement, and dismantling of protections against gender-based violence. Additionally, women are barred from participating in sports or visiting public parks.
Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghan researcher at HRW, described the plight of women and girls as “living their worst nightmares.” She called on international governments to hold Taliban leaders accountable for their actions. Since January 2024, the Taliban has intensified its crackdown, detaining women and girls for alleged “bad hijab” practices, while also stifling freedom of expression and targeting journalists and protesters.
The humanitarian situation remains dire, worsened by cuts in foreign assistance that have devastated Afghanistan’s healthcare system, exacerbated malnutrition, and led to preventable diseases. HRW warns that the Taliban’s bans on education threaten the future availability of female healthcare workers.
As over 665,000 Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan since September 2023, many Afghans remain stranded in limbo across various countries, awaiting resettlement in the West.
“The third anniversary of the Taliban’s takeover is a grim reminder of Afghanistan’s human rights crisis, but it should also be a call for action,” HRW concluded.
