The Taliban’s use of Afghanistan’s legal and judicial system to target women and girls is now being categorized as “crimes against humanity,” as per Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. Presenting his findings to the General Assembly, Bennett highlighted how the Taliban have “weaponized” the law to suppress women since they regained power in 2021. This strategic dismantling of key legal protections has resulted in the dismissal of hundreds of judges, including around 270 women, while replacing them with male figures aligned to hardline ideologies, often lacking formal legal training. More can be explored in this JURIST report.
The implications of these policies have been echoed by Human Rights Watch (HRW), who warned that the “Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice” severely limits women’s autonomy and contributes to a worsening humanitarian crisis. HRW has also pointed to forced returns of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan as aggravating circumstances contributing to the country’s humanitarian plight.
The personal impact of these policies is poignantly illustrated in the “Voices of Afghanistan” interview series by JURIST, documenting testimonies like that of a former family court director. Having worked to uphold women’s rights, she now finds herself confined to her home, as even the basic freedom to visit a park is forbidden. Her narrative is a haunting reminder of the stark changes imposed on women under the current regime.
Amid this backdrop, Bennett and HRW have criticized the global community for its passive approach. Despite increasing evidence of systemic abuses, the international response remains insufficient. “UN member countries have for four years failed to take effective action to end the egregious rights violations occurring in Afghanistan,” HRW emphasized. This sentiment was mirrored in an appeal from the JURIST interviewee who decried the international community’s indifference, expressing frustrations with its lack of action toward the world’s most suffering women.
The global legal community now faces a critical juncture in addressing these systemic issues. As legal professionals and advocates, the challenge lies in pressing for meaningful international intervention while supporting Afghan women through an escalating crisis that transcends borders.