Afghan women's rights activists demand global action against gender apartheid

Activists and international representatives are calling for global action to address the systematic suppression of women and girls in Afghanistan. During a meeting in Ludwigshafen, Germany, participants highlighted the severe restrictions on education, employment, and social presence imposed by the Taliban since August 2021.

In a side event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York titled ‘Gender Apartheid and Accountability in Afghanistan’, speakers warned against the normalization of the current situation. Isabelle Rom, France’s Ambassador-at-Large for Human Rights, stated that France refuses to compromise on the rights of Afghan women and noted that France, alongside five other nations, has referred the situation to the International Criminal Court.

Civil society leaders, including Narges Nehan, urged the international community to formally recognize the Taliban’s policies as ‘gender apartheid’ and a crime against humanity. Representatives emphasized that political engagement with the Taliban must not come at the expense of women’s rights and that women must be included in all negotiations regarding the future of Afghanistan.