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Image: news.un.org Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the United Nations, has said that the Taliban must revoke all discriminatory laws and decrees in order to comply with international human rights standards. Dujarric made the remarks during a press briefing in response to a question about the endorsement of the Taliban’s judicial code. According to the UN spokesperson, both the organisation’s political mission and its partner human rights bodies have confirmed that the extensive set of decrees and laws imposed by the Taliban violate the human rights of the people of Afghanistan, particularly women and girls. He added that the message delivered by Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, during her visit to Kabul also focused on encouraging and pressing Taliban officials to repeal these laws and to ensure that all Afghans, including women and girls, enjoy basic human rights and dignity. In response to criticism of its judicial code, the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice has stated that the group’s laws are “in accordance with Islamic Sharia” and that any objection to them is considered “an objection to Sharia and a crime”. The ministry warned that individuals who oppose Taliban laws will face legal prosecution.

Image: UNICEF Afghanistan / X The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says that Afghanistan’s education system is facing serious obstacles, but that it can be rebuilt. In a message on Wednesday (28 January) posted on the social media platform X, UNICEF emphasised the need to lift the ban on girls’ secondary education in Afghanistan. The message stated: “Lifting the ban on girls’ secondary education would enable girls to gain skills, enter vital professions such as healthcare, and strengthen families, communities, and the country’s future.” UNICEF has previously warned that Afghanistan’s education system is at a critical point and that more than 90 percent of 10-year-old children in the country are unable to read a simple text. Following the Taliban’s return to power, girls’ education above grade six has been banned in Afghanistan, and according to United Nations agencies, more than two million adolescent girls have been deprived of attending school due to these restrictions.

Image source: UNICEF Afghanistan / X The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Afghanistan’s education system has reached a critical point. In a message on Tuesday (27 January), UNICEF said that more than 90 percent of 10 year old children in Afghanistan are unable to read a simple text. According to the organisation, these figures indicate a crisis of “schooling without learning” in Afghanistan. UNICEF emphasised that sustained investment in primary education, literacy, and numeracy skills is essential to ensure the success of every child. Previously, UNICEF and UNESCO announced that 2.2 million adolescent girls in Afghanistan have been deprived of attending school due to restrictions imposed by the Taliban.

Photo: © 2011 Farzana Wahidy / Human Rights Watch Three years after the Taliban’s return to power, new accounts from the group’s prisons and detention centers are revealing one of the darkest aspects of their rule: arbitrary arrests, systematic torture, and sexual violence against women. Findings show that women detainees are not only imprisoned without fair trial but are subjected to brutal and inhumane violence during interrogation and detention. Witnesses say the Taliban force women to strip naked during interrogations and, if they resist, beat their genitals with cables and rifle butts. One protesting woman, who asked not to be named for security reasons, recounted that she was held for ten days in a detention center in western Kabul and one night was raped by two Taliban fighters. She said: “The Taliban repeatedly asked me who supports you and why you protest. When I did not answer, they beat me and forced me to undress. If I resisted, they beat me severely.” She continued: “We were six in one room; two girls and four women. One of the girls had just been engaged and was arrested only because of her short length of her trousers. She was raped before me, and then they took me.” This woman said her family managed to secure her release from Pul-e-Charkhi prison after paying a bribe: “They made us pledge not to talk to the media. They threatened that if anything was said, they would kill my entire family. Many times I tried to kill myself but failed. Even now every night I see the prison scenes in my sleep.” Similar cases have been reported across the country. Marina, a 23-year-old girl arrested in Kabul for “not wearing hijab,” was found dead in a stream after twenty days of rape and torture. Her family disappeared after seeking justice. In Balkh, too, the body of a young woman was found days after her detention in a Taliban base; sources said she had first been raped and then shot dead. Over the past three years, the Taliban have imprisoned women and girls under accusations such as “extramarital relations,” “running away from home,” “collaboration with opposition fronts,” and even “protesting against the Taliban.” In none of these cases are fair trial procedures followed. Women have no defense lawyers and no free access to their families. According to sources, many families are only allowed visits after paying bribes. In Badakhshan, Balkh, Takhar, Ghazni, and Maidan Wardak provinces, dozens of women remain in prison in unknown conditions. In Uruzgan and several other provinces, there are no women’s prisons at all, and women are held in the houses of Taliban officials. Aisha (alias), a young woman from Takhar, recounted: “My family wanted to marry me off to a Taliban commander. I refused and ran away. On the way, the Taliban caught me and took me to a detention center. I was there for 12 days, raped twice, and beaten every day. Then I was transferred to Takhar central prison and spent seven months there.” She continued: “Women were forced to give in to the sexual demands of Taliban members. Anyone who resisted was tortured with cables and lashes. At night some women were taken away and brought back in the morning. Finally, after seven months, my relatives sent money and I was released through a bribe.” These gathered testimonies paint one picture: Taliban prisons are not places of justice but arenas of humiliation and sexual enslavement of women. Threats against families and the absence of monitoring bodies have allowed these crimes to continue in secrecy. The fundamental question is: how long will the world remain silent about the fate of women who, behind the walls of Taliban prisons, are being driven into slavery and torture? Written by Nilofar Nayebi, journalist

Photo: afintl Since the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, various narratives have emerged about the group. One of the most prominent is the idea of dividing the Taliban into two opposing factions: The Kandahar circle led by Hibatullah Akhundzada, seen as hardline and ideological The Haqqani network in Kabul, described by some as “pragmatic” and “realistic” Some believe that the rise of pragmatism within parts of the Taliban could fundamentally transform the group’s behavior and policies. Such portrayals in the region have encouraged several countries to engage with the Kandahar faction, including the handover of Afghan embassies to the Taliban in Tehran and Beijing, and recognition by Moscow. But the key question remains: can the Taliban truly abandon their extremist ideology? Pragmatism or Survival Tactic? Evidence shows that what is labeled as Taliban “pragmatism” is less a sign of strategic change and more a tactic for survival and false legitimacy. In the Doha agreement with the United States, the Taliban pledged to cut ties with terrorist groups, but in reality: Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in the heart of Kabul in 2022 Regional terrorist groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continue to enjoy Taliban support and safe haven These examples show that Taliban “flexibility” is mainly a tool for buying time and securing concessions, not a real shift in ideological beliefs. Eliminating Women: A Shared Red Line If the Taliban were truly pragmatic, they would have shown flexibility in policies concerning women. Instead, their decisions prove the opposite: Since September 2021, girls’ schools above sixth grade have been closed In December 2022, women were banned from university education Women’s work in government offices and many NGOs has been restricted or prohibited These policies show that eliminating women from public life is a non-negotiable red line for the Taliban, both in Kandahar and Kabul. A Double Face in Foreign Relations The Taliban have tried to project a dual image on the international stage: The Haqqani network in Kabul meets with diplomats and speaks of cooperation against ISIS and developing trade In Kandahar, the Taliban leader and his circle continue to insist on absolute Emirate rule, strict enforcement of Sharia, and rejection of any concept of citizenship or freedom of expression This duality has confused some countries, but the reality is that there is no fundamental difference between the two factions. Both rest on the same ethnic chauvinism, terrorist ties, and misogyny. Fighting ISIS: A Propaganda Show The Taliban have repeatedly highlighted operations against ISIS to present themselves as reliable partners in counterterrorism. Yet, deadly ISIS attacks in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, and other provinces show the threat remains. At the same time, the Taliban have occasionally used the name of ISIS to eliminate internal rivals or repress the Hazara community. This shows that “fighting ISIS” is more a media show than a genuine security policy. Conclusion The Taliban, whether in Kabul or Kandahar, have not changed in their ideological essence. Misogyny, repression of freedoms, ethnic supremacy, and ties to transnational terrorism remain the core elements of their policy. What is called “pragmatism” is only a deceptive mask to gain international legitimacy and to cling to power. If the international community chooses to ignore this deception, it is the people of Afghanistan—especially women—who will pay the price. Writer: Nilofar Nayebi, journalist

Image: AFP The city of Herat, home to more than two million people, has taken on an atmosphere of anxiety, suffocation and despair. Residents say daily life under the relentless decrees of the Taliban’s Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice grows narrower and darker by the day. Only 67 employees of this department now effectively control the social life of millions of citizens, imposing bans on music, educational restrictions, enforced dress codes and even “beard measurements”, placing people’s private lives under the heavy pressure of their directives. Residents of Herat say the historic city, once a centre of culture, art and commerce, has now turned into a “prison” whose bars grow thicker by the day. “These people know neither religion nor human; they only issue orders.” Shahla and Morsal, two young women from Herat, told Zan News that the social atmosphere has become extremely harsh and unpredictable. Morsal said: “It is not only we, the girls; all people are trapped in the dehumanising decrees of this group.” With a trembling voice, Shahla added: “The Taliban have turned life into a cage for the people. Even breathing has become difficult.” The women say the officers of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice “have neither Islamic knowledge nor administrative experience”, yet they are effectively ruling over the lives of millions of citizens. Religious scholars: “These decrees have no Islamic basis” Meanwhile, Bilal Faizi, a religious scholar, reacting to these decisions, said: “There is no such instruction anywhere in Islam. What is being implemented in Herat today is arbitrary and baseless interpretation. Religion came for justice, not to play with the fate of the people.” According to him, many of the decrees issued have no connection to recognised Islamic principles or sources, and have caused religion to be viewed negatively by the public. Citizens: “From our beards to our clothing, everything is under control” Farid Ahmad Jamal, a resident of Herat, spoke of the extreme and unusual monitoring by the Vice and Virtue officers: “Previously they only told us to grow a beard; now they measure our beards. They even draw up plans for how we should dress.” He said the people of Herat face a new list of bans and obligations every day, with no room left for protest or even questioning.

Image: Reuters/BBC Ahead of International Students’ Day on 17 November, the Human Rights Activists’ Union said in a statement that the Taliban, by depriving girls of education and closing university doors, have committed “cultural genocide” and “gender apartheid”. The statement said the Taliban, by banning girls from schools and universities, eliminating scientific disciplines, dismissing lecturers and turning educational institutions into ideological structures, are seeking to “destroy the intellectual capacity and the future of an entire generation”. The Union said these policies, based on international standards, amount to “cultural genocide” and “intellectual cleansing”; measures aimed at eliminating women’s awareness, identity and independence. The organisation added that depriving women of education constitutes “gender apartheid” and a “crime against humanity” under global conventions, as the Taliban have systematically denied half of society the right to education and public participation solely because they are women. The Human Rights Activists’ Union called on the international community, universities and human rights institutions to recognise the Taliban’s conduct as a “crime” and to take practical steps to hold the group’s leaders accountable. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have banned girls from attending schools above grade six and from entering universities, and have issued more than one hundred restrictive decrees against women. United Nations experts describe these policies as “gender apartheid” and a “systematic attack on women”.

Photo by: Abdul Karim Azim/alive-in In an unprecedented and contentious move, officers from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice detained dozens of women and girls on Saturday evening (November 15) after they had gone with their families to the restaurants in Herat’s Taraqi Park to have a meal. Witnesses say that even women who were observing the Taliban’s mandatory dress requirements were not allowed to sit and eat, and officers detained them on the grounds of “the presence of women in a restaurant”. The incident has sparked a wave of anger, fear and confusion among families. Families present at the scene say the incident was so sudden and humiliating that children began crying out of fear, and no one understood what “crime” the women were supposed to have committed. Some women’s rights activists describe the Taliban’s behaviour as a new form of restriction and control over women, calling it “insulting” and “a violation of human rights”. According to them, the Taliban cannot exercise control over the women in their own households, yet they imprison other women in a cage of restrictions. Mahsa Muradi, a women’s rights activist, told Zan News that the Taliban treat the women of society as if they were the ignored women and girls of their own families, while the people of Herat are educated, aware and urban, and will not accept being treated in the same way. She described this action as a new attempt to silence urban women and impose fear on society. Wajiha, another women’s rights activist, said the Taliban invent a new form of control over women’s lives every day and violate their most basic rights. She stressed that women have the right to go out with their families or even alone to eat, and that depriving women of leaving their homes and eating in public is an obvious attempt to destroy their individual freedoms. According to residents, Herat, once one of the most vibrant and family-oriented cities in the country, has now become a place where women are afraid even to sit in a restaurant. The mass arrests on Saturday evening have raised new questions among the public: if women eating food is considered a crime today, what will be forbidden tomorrow? Walking? Speaking? Or breathing?

image: @MSF_Afghanistan/X Amnesty International Italy has warned that the Taliban’s new restriction in Herat, which bans women without a burqa from entering hospitals, has put the lives of thousands of women and girls at risk. The organisation wrote on its X page on Thursday, 13 November: “The Taliban’s war on women and girls continues. Women have been removed from all areas of public life and deprived of their rights and human dignity.” Amnesty International stressed that the new ban further restricts women’s and girls’ access to medical services, including essential healthcare, and stated that the international community must not remain silent in the face of such conditions. The organisation added: “We always stand with the women of Afghanistan.” This reaction comes after the Taliban in recent days ordered that women in Herat may only enter government offices, schools and hospitals if they are wearing a burqa. Reports indicate that female doctors, nurses and patients without a burqa have been prevented from entering the Herat regional hospital. Several human rights and humanitarian organisations had previously warned that this Taliban decision disrupts women’s access to healthcare and will worsen the country’s health crisis. In early November, the Taliban made the burqa mandatory in Herat. Women without a burqa are neither allowed to use taxis nor to enter schools and hospitals. The decision has prompted widespread criticism from women’s rights activists, and in Kabul and Herat women burned the burqa in symbolic protest.

Local sources in Panjshir say the Taliban have shut down more than five women’s literacy centres in the province and dismissed their instructors. According to the sources, these centres were operating in the provincial capital and several districts, providing education for women who had been unable to attend school. These classes had been active since the previous government and hosted large numbers of female learners. The sources added that the Taliban have also closed a vocational high school that taught boys and girls in separate shifts. Taliban local officials have not commented on the matter. This move comes as the Taliban have carried out similar actions in recent months in Bamyan and Nangarhar, where dozens of women’s literacy centres have been closed and many female teachers dismissed. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, girls above grade six have been banned from attending school, and universities, medical institutes and vocational training courses have also been closed to women. Women’s rights activists describe these Taliban policies as “gender apartheid”, a systematic effort, they say, aimed at the complete removal of women from education and public life.