Unmasking injustice: Alarming human rights violation in Afghanistan

Introduction

“Injustice an anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

After the takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban in August 2021, there have been major human rights violation, towards every section of the afghan society, the extremist mindset of the group has lead to many unethical and oppressing judgments forced upon the people. And this takeover of Afghanistan leads to serious economic and humanitarian crisis, pushing people in poverty. The crisis deepened as the country faced multiple earthquakes, floods and consecutive years of drought. In response to the takeover of the Taliban regime, the country faced international isolations and financial sanction leading to deteriorating economic conditions. 

According to the UN report the number of people in need of assistance increased drastically from 18.4 million in 2022 to 29 million in 2023. The most vulnerable sect of society, 2.3 million children were at a high risk of malnutrition, according to WHO report. The healthcare system continued to be dependent on international aid and remained fragile due to lack of adequate infrastructure and resources. As of 2024, more than 28 million people, which is almost one-third of the population. This economic stagnation is especially affecting young men and women seeking job opportunity.  Women’s employment has been hit harder, going down by 25 per cent since the Taliban takeover, compared to a 7 per cent drop for men. The central bank’s assets remain frozen overseas, constraining monetary policy and placing obstacles in the way of economic recovery.

Amid this deteriorating humanitarian and economic crisis, people in Afghanistan suffered extreme repression and human rights violations. The new rules and policies imposed and enforced by the regime have comprehensively bared women and girl from exercising their fundamental rights, including freedom of movement, work and education. These rules also undermine the other rights like, rights to livelihood, access to health care, food, and water. In a report published by United Nation Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in August 2023, it documented 218 extrajudicial killings, 14 enforced, and over 144 cases of torture and mistreatment of detainee since 2021. UNAMA also reported public flogging of at least 34 men, 8 women and 2 boys for drug offence, gambling and so- called moral crimes. 

Violating the freedom of expression Taliban authorities enforced extensive censorship against afghan media. Multiple media outlets have been closed and most female workers across Afghanistan have lost their jobs. Many afghan journalists now live in exile due to safety concerns. The Taliban also continued to target on civil society activists. Attacks on civilian continued across the country. The UNAMA recorded 3,774 civilian causalities between August 2021 and May 2023. In May, the UN expressed concern at Taliban’s continued use of public executions and corporal punishment. Unlawful and excessive force was used to attack peaceful protest, including many led by women. The Taliban reportedly used firearm, water cannon and stun guns to disperse protests, including a women- led protest against the forced closure of beauty salon. 

The treatment towards women by the Taliban regime has been significantly oppressing and inhuman.  In spite of their initial promises to respect women’s rights within the framework of Sharia law, the Taliban issued numerous decrees that prevent women and girls from exercising their basic rights to freedom of expression, liberty, work and education. Women are not allowed to move around in public space unless they are accompanied by a male relative classed as a Mahram. Presenters on TV news programs have to wear a full veil during the broadcast. There are almost no contact points now for survivors of sexualized violence to turn to for help. Safe houses built for survivors have been shut down. One in three girls was being forced into marriage before their 18th birthday. In order to avoid starvation, ever more parents are marrying off their young daughters in return for a dowry. Some families even marry off their daughters early as a form of protection: to avoid them later being forced to marry a Taliban fighter. 

The first political acts of the Taliban were to forbid girls from attending secondary schools. Without education, girls face an even higher risk of being exploited, maltreated or married off early. Due to this restriction on women’s education professional opportunities for women have been severely restricted. Many women lost their jobs after the Taliban takeover and any women who do still have a job to go have to be accompanied on their journey to work by a male. This loss of employment for women has pushed many families even deeper into poverty. As of April 2023, Afghan women are no longer allowed to work for the UN.

The representation of women in government has been drastically changed, with the help of a quota regulation, before the Taliban regime took power; women formed 27 per cent of the Members of Parliament in Afghanistan.  21 per cent of all defence counsel was women and 265 judges were female out of a total of 1951.Now there is not one single woman as minister in the new Afghan government. Afghanistan stands out as the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden to girls and women.