The United Nations has released a report condemning Afghanistan's de-facto authorities, the Taliban, for sending victims of gender-based violence to prison in lieu of allowing shelters to operate. Before the Taliban seized power in 2021, there were 23 state-sponsored women's protection centers in the country; now there is none. The Taliban say that shelters are a western concept or not needed, and have instead been sending women to prison if they have no male relatives to stay with or if male relatives are considered unsafe.
Compiled from: "Divergence of Practice: The Handling of Complaints of Gender-Based Violence against Women and Girls by Afghanistan’s de facto Authorities," United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2023.