by Samantha Azizi
In May 2022, I visited a girls’ secondary school in northern Afghanistan that was still operational despite the Taliban’s ban on education for girls above sixth grade. This community’s resistance reflected their long-standing value of education. Among the students was an 11th-grade girl aspiring to become a teacher, determined to break free from the confines of domestic life. Her resolve embodied the hope that perhaps the Taliban’s oppressive grip could be resisted.
A year later, I returned to find the school closed, its students and teachers forced into submission. This crushing reality mirrors the plight of countless Afghan women and girls under the Taliban regime. Their mental health is in crisis, with reports of rising anxiety, depression, and suicides. This backdrop sets the stage for an upcoming United Nations meeting in Doha, Qatar, to discuss Afghanistan’s future. Notably, human rights and women’s issues are absent from the agenda, a glaring omission that cannot be ignored.
The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 came with a promise: education for girls above the sixth grade would resume once conditions were suitable under Islamic rules. Nearly three years on, this promise remains unfulfilled. The Taliban now claim education is an “internal matter,” leaving little hope for change. This ban on education is part of a broader campaign to erase women from public life.
Female civil servants were told to stay home, women were banned from working with NGOs and humanitarian agencies, and female-owned businesses were shuttered. Women and girls now need a male relative’s accompaniment to travel. These draconian policies have effectively erased women from public life, stripping them of their fundamental rights. Many, including myself, have labeled these policies as gender apartheid, advocating for their criminalization under international law.
The Taliban’s institutionalized oppression harms not only the current generation but future generations as well. Boys raised in a system that legitimizes the dehumanization of women may perpetuate this cycle of abuse, posing long-term security risks. The Taliban’s brutal enforcement of gender policies also severely impacts LGBTQ individuals, depriving them of their basic rights.
Despite these dire circumstances, Afghan women and girls continue to resist. Some have taken to the streets, demanding their rights despite the risk of arrest and violence. With limited access to the internet, a minority of girls continue their education online. Female entrepreneurs are moving their businesses online, finding creative ways to navigate restrictions. One woman summarized their resilience: “We did not create the Taliban, but we are the ones who have to live with them in control. There is no other choice than to find ways to survive and learn.”
The international community cannot abandon these women to their struggle. They need protection, support, and solidarity. The Doha meeting, aimed at enticing the Taliban to participate, focuses on politically neutral topics, neglecting the critical issue of human rights. An independent assessment requested by the UN Security Council last year advised that any roadmap for Afghanistan’s reintegration should include measurable human rights improvements.
Afghanistan’s human rights record has been questionable even during the 20 years of the Islamic republic, but the Taliban’s regime has exacerbated the situation. They have engaged in widespread abuses, including killings, disappearances, and arbitrary detentions, particularly targeting minorities. Yet, non-Taliban Afghans remain excluded from political discussions, a historical mistake that undermines the credibility and sustainability of these processes.
The Taliban are not recognized by the United Nations as a legitimate government and should not be treated as such. They must not be allowed to dictate the terms of international conferences. The success of the Doha meeting should not hinge on the Taliban’s participation.
The international community must exhibit strong, principled leadership to counter the Taliban’s oppressive policies. Afghan women and girls, who once feared the Taliban’s return, now dread their potential recognition. The international community must demand the reversal of restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights, insist on their meaningful participation in decision-making, and enforce accountability. Including these issues in the Doha agenda is a critical first step towards ensuring justice and equality for Afghan women and girls.