Three years after the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, women in Afghanistan are treated as second-class citizens, systematically stripped of their rights. Over eighty decrees issued by the Taliban confine women to their homes and ban girls from attending school, turning Afghanistan into a prison for women and girls.

This gender apartheid is reinforced by new educational curricula and severe restrictions on women’s participation in every aspect of society. Women’s protests against these injustices have been met with harsh repression, including imprisonment, torture, and accusations of being influenced by foreign entities.

Inside the Taliban’s gender apartheid, a joint project of the Civic Engagement Project and the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center, highlights the stories of women who have courageously resisted these injustices—women who have endured imprisonment and brutality for their peaceful demands for basic rights. By refusing to remain silent and shedding light on the violence they face, their testimonies serve as evidence in the fight for justice.

The women who have survived this regime are now calling for international recognition of the Taliban’s gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. This recognition would not only validate their suffering but could also challenge the Taliban’s grip on power and pave the way for transitional justice, offering a potential path to healing and justice for Afghan women and girls. 

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The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. ​At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

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New Atlanticist

Aug 14, 2024

I was imprisoned and tortured by the Taliban for protesting gender apartheid in Afghanistan

By Zholia Parsi

Zholia Parsi describes protesting against gender apartheid in Afghanistan after the Taliban returned and abuse she faced as a result.

Afghanistan Human Rights
Chief Warrant Officer Richard Infusino, a Falcon Team pilot, packs up his gear after landing one of five new UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters at Hohenfels Army Airfield April 21. The new helicopters will replace the post's aging fleet of UH-1 ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

Issue Brief

Jun 11, 2024

Friend-sourcing military procurement: Technology acquisition as security cooperation

By James Hasik

Jim Hasik reviews the nine cases of US "friend-sourcing" of major military systems and finds they brought good quality, speed, and economy.

Afghanistan Defense Industry

IranSource

Jun 3, 2024

Shia Afghans are being brought to Iran to make up for the lack of religious Iranians

By Saeid Golkar and Kasra Aarabi

The mass participation of Shia Afghans at regime-organized events sheds light on how the Islamic Republic is proactively using Afghan migrants to foster a loyal constituency and fill the widening gap between the state and Iranian society.

Afghanistan Conflict
The family members of Um al-Banin, who was killed in a suicide attack in a tutoring center in Dasht-e-Barchi district in the west of Kabul, pray at her grave in Kabul, Afghanistan, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Ali Khara

Memo to...

May 16, 2024

Memo to the UN secretary-general: Establish a UN conflict prevention mechanism for the Afghanistan region

By Laurie Nathan and Nilofar Sakhi

The risk of conflict between Afghanistan and its neighbors has been rising since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and is now at a critical point. The UN has tools that have lowered the risk of major conflict in other tense neighborhoods. It's time to deploy them for Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Central Asia

In the News

May 8, 2024

Sales quoted in Arab News on resurgent terror groups in Afghanistan

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Middle East

Inside the Taliban's gender apartheid

Apr 30, 2024

Don’t look away: The Taliban’s mistreatment of women has global ramifications

By Samira Abrar

The Taliban’s impunity for its violations of international human rights law poses grave risks to women’s rights worldwide.

Afghanistan Human Rights

Strategic Litigation

Mar 29, 2024

Strategic Litigation Quarterly Newsletter: It’s time for a Syria Victims Fund.

The latest updates on the Strategic Litigation Project's work advancing human rights and accountability.

Afghanistan Civil Society

Inside the Taliban's gender apartheid

Mar 21, 2024

Afghan women’s rights are not a lost cause. Here’s what the international community can do.

By Parwana Paikan

The United Nations must prioritize Afghan women's rights in its policy agenda and avoid forms of engagement that could embolden the Taliban.

Afghanistan Human Rights

Experts react

Mar 18, 2024

Experts react: Pakistan just carried out airstrikes on Afghanistan. What’s next?

By Atlantic Council experts

How will Pakistan’s strikes inside Afghanistan affect the already tense relations between Islamabad and Kabul? Our experts share their insights.

Afghanistan Conflict

Inside the Taliban's gender apartheid

Mar 14, 2024

Why the Taliban’s persecution of women meets the bar of a crime against humanity

By Azadah Raz Mohammad

Codifying gender apartheid as a crime against humanity is an important step toward holding the Taliban accountable.

Afghanistan Human Rights

Experts