Afghanistan: While gender apartheid deepens, international legal and advocacy efforts for Afghan women continue to grow
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 2:00 PM

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghan women and girls have faced escalating human rights violations, including severe restrictions on education, public life, social services, and employment. In response, more than 80 nations have politically condemned the Taliban’s “gender apartheid” and oppressive policies, with several calling for intensive investigations by the International Criminal Court. Afghan civil society members have also joined a Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Article 29 initiative—led by the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, and Australia—to strengthen legal and advocacy efforts. Furthermore, these steps have been supported by international bodies like the European Court of Justice, which ruled that all Afghan women qualify for asylum in the EU, and UNESCO, which has backed alternative education efforts such as community literacy programs and on-air schooling. Thus, despite the Taliban’s ongoing repression and its claims that women’s rights are protected under the new legal framework, global rallies for the liberation of Afghan women continue to gain momentum, with growing calls for international solidarity and accountability.