Shadows of Shame and Power

Image: Jim Huylebroek/The New York Times

Systematic Polygamy and Sexual Violence under the Taliban Regime

"They took her as the second wife; and I no longer had a mother."

Maryam, a twelve-year-old girl from the Andar district of Ghazni province, tearfully recounts: "They took my mother. They said her husband was dead, and now she 'belongs' to a Taliban fighter."

Later, she learned that her mother, without consent or approval, had been "married" as the second wife to one of the Taliban commanders. There was no witness, no legal contract, and no right of choice for that woman.

Tradition or Tool of Domination?

Forced Marriage, Polygamy, and Sexual Ownership of Women

Since the Taliban's return to power on August 15, 2021, hundreds of Afghan women have fallen victim to forced marriages, imposed polygamy, and sexual violence. The Taliban, especially local commanders and armed individuals, have used their political and military dominance to impose second, third, and fourth marriages.

According to the report by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (before it was dissolved by the Taliban), at least 234 cases of forced marriages or imposed polygamy were recorded between September 2021 and June 2022.

Human rights sources believe that these figures represent only the "tip of the iceberg" of the hidden crisis in the shadows of Afghanistan.

A women's rights activist from Kabul, who wishes to remain anonymous due to Taliban threats, says, "The Taliban use religion to justify these actions, but the real goal is to seize control over women's bodies and autonomy."

"They kept us in prison for sexual exploitation."

Systematic Sexual Violence in Taliban Detention Centers

Monira, a former civil rights activist, has a harrowing account from Kandahar prison: "I was raped for three consecutive nights. Every night, a different commander came. If I resisted, they threatened to kill me."

"They forced me to divorce my husband so that I could become the third wife of a local Taliban commander. Later, I found out that his first and second wives were also forcibly married, just like me."

According to findings by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, the Taliban have used sexual violence in numerous cases as a tool for control, torture, and punishment of women. However, access for international organizations to Taliban prisons remains limited and prohibited.

Other Stories of Silence and Humiliation

Zainab, a fifteen-year-old girl from Faryab, was forced into a marriage with a Taliban judge simply because her family could not pay the ransom money.

Nazia, a widow from the Washir district in Helmand, was directly threatened with death and forced to marry a Taliban commander: "They told me: either you become this man's wife, or all of you will be killed for 'apostasy'."

Obaidullah, the father of one of the victims from Khogyani, Nangarhar, says: "Either I gave my daughter, or they would kill all of us."

What do the United Nations and International Organizations say?

Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a report from December 2023 warned: "We have increasing evidence of the systematic violation of Afghan women's sexual and reproductive rights in detention centers and forced marriages in Taliban-controlled areas."

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its 2024 annual report wrote: "Taliban-affiliated men have, in numerous cases, forced women into marriage without consent and under threats. Some refer to these marriages as 'war spoils'."

"Sexual Apartheid" in the Shadow of Global Power Vacuum

Maryam Qureshi, an Afghan human rights lawyer in Germany, emphasizes: "What is happening in Afghanistan is a system of sexual apartheid. The Taliban use marriage, imprisonment, rape, and forced divorces to weaken and control women."

She calls for the establishment of a United Nations truth commission to document sexual crimes and investigate the possibility of prosecuting the Taliban for crimes against humanity.

Conclusion: Neither Tradition, Nor Religion – But a Tool of War Against Women's Bodies

While the international community engages in discussions for interaction or recognition of the Taliban, women in Afghanistan, from Faryab to Kandahar, from Ghazni to Nangarhar, face daily humiliation, forced marriages, and rape.

If the silence continues, history will not only judge the Taliban but also the indifference of the global community.