Special Report | Gender Apartheid: The Taliban’s Oppression of Afghan Women

Special Report | Gender Apartheid: The Taliban’s Oppression of Afghan Women

Date: August 18, 2025

Source: Afghan News24 | Special Correspondent

Introduction:

Four years have passed since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan—a period that has marked a dark and painful chapter for millions of Afghan women and girls. With a systematic policy of discrimination, the Taliban regime has created a gender apartheid, effectively erasing women from public life and violating their most basic human rights.

Widespread Bans: From Education to Public Life

Since returning to power, the Taliban’s first and most devastating act was banning girls above grade six from attending school. Soon after, they extended the ban to female university students, shutting the doors of higher education on an entire gender.

Even informal educational initiatives run by brave Afghan women have been forcibly shut down, with many female teachers and activists facing threats, arrests, and torture for simply trying to educate girls.

Erasing Women from the Workforce

The Taliban have barred women from most public and private sector jobs, including healthcare, media, NGOs, and education. Even in the limited sectors where women are allowed to work—such as in health services—strict rules and surveillance make it nearly impossible for them to operate freely.

Restrictions on Movement and Dress

Women in Afghanistan are not allowed to travel without a male escort (mahram). This includes going to work, seeking medical care, or even shopping. The Taliban have also imposed mandatory dress codes, requiring women to wear black niqabs, gloves, and long clothing. Violating these rules can result in detention, physical punishment, or imprisonment.

Ban on Entertainment and Social Participation

From sports and cinema to music and even reading, all recreational and cultural activities for women have been banned. Public parks and women-only bathhouses have also been shut down. These restrictions have deeply harmed the mental health and well-being of Afghan women.

Gender Apartheid: A Crime Against Humanity

International human rights organizations, including the United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, have labeled the Taliban’s treatment of women as gender apartheid—a system of institutionalized segregation and repression based on gender. This policy constitutes a crime against humanity under international law.

Women: Silenced but Unbroken

Despite the immense danger, Afghan women continue to resist. In cities like Kabul, Herat, Mazar, and others, brave women have led protests, launched social media campaigns, and shared their voices with the world—often at great personal risk. However, without concrete international support, their efforts may not be enough to create lasting change.

A Call to the International Community

Afghan News24 urges the global community to:

• Officially recognize the Taliban’s gender apartheid as a crime against humanity.
• Impose targeted sanctions on Taliban leaders.
• Support Afghan women’s resistance—financially, legally, and through international media.
• Refer the Taliban regime to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prosecution.

Final Word

The Taliban regime aims to erase women from society—but no regime can extinguish the flame of knowledge, resistance, and justice that burns in the hearts of Afghan women. Silence in the face of oppression is complicity. Let us stand up, and be the voice of Afghanistan’s women.

Report by: Editorial Team, Afghan News24

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