AWCSWO Human Rights Institute: Sexual Labor in Afghanistan Has Turned Into a Hidden Crisis

The report shows that in the current political, social, and economic crisis, sexual labor has become one of the survival methods for vulnerable groups.

AWCSWO's report enumerates multiple factors contributing to the increase in sexual labor in Afghanistan, including widespread poverty and diminished livelihood opportunities. The report states: "After the fall of the previous government and the imposition of economic restrictions by the Taliban, millions of families have fallen into severe poverty. Thousands of women who were previously employed in government institutions, educational organizations, and international agencies suddenly found themselves unemployed, and some of them have turned to such means."

The systematic repression of women is also cited as another factor, with the report adding: "The Taliban have declared sexual labor forbidden, but in practice this prohibition has become a tool for controlling and oppressing women, with some members of this group themselves engaging in sexual exploitation."

The report also highlights an increase in the trafficking of girls and women from border areas to neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Iran, and the Gulf region. "Within the country as well, cities like Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat, Bamyan, and Kabul have turned into centers for the activities of informal sexual exploitation networks."

The report emphasizes: "In many areas under Taliban control, young and widowed women are pressured into marrying fighters from this group; marriages that often lead to sexual slavery, after which these women are either sold or abandoned."

AWCSWO further stated that, despite the ostensible ban on sexual labor by the Taliban, the Taliban themselves have become one of the primary factors in the continuation of this phenomenon. The report notes: "Some Taliban members have turned into hidden clients of this practice, and women detained on charges such as moral corruption are subjected to sexual abuse in detention centers or forced to provide sexual services on orders from local commanders."

Highlighting the widespread deprivation of women from basic rights, education, and legal support, the report notes: "Sexual labor under Taliban rule has not only persisted but has continued in an even more complex and covert manner." In conclusion, AWCSWO stressed the urgent need for the international community to intervene, calling for the documentation of this crisis, the adoption of practical measures, and action to combat the systematic violence and exploitation against Afghan women."