In the wake of the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Afghanistan has been thrust back into an era of intense repression and systemic human rights abuses. The once hopeful aspirations of millions have been replaced by fear and despair as the Taliban impose a regime reminiscent of their brutal rule in the late 1990s. At the forefront of this regression is the Taliban’s relentless assault on women’s rights, media freedom, and civil liberties—an agenda that signals their perennial obsession with a patriarchal and authoritarian vision of society.
A Repressive Legal Framework
Latest reports say that under the directive of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s reclusive supreme leader, the regime has formalized a 35-article legal framework that squarely dictates the behaviour and rights of Afghan citizens. These laws, enforced by the revived Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, mark the first comprehensive codification of the Taliban’s vice and virtue policies since their takeover in 2021. The ministry, notorious for its role in the Taliban’s previous rule, is now more powerful than ever, wielding its authority to enforce draconian rules across all aspects of public and private life.
Central to these laws is a series of decrees that specifically target women, aiming to get rid of their visibility and voices from public life. Women are now required to be fully veiled in public, with their faces obscured to prevent what the Taliban describe as ‘temptation.’ The laws also forbid women from being seen by men who are not close relatives, enforcing a strict regime of gender segregation. Clothing must be neither thin nor tight, and any attire deemed ‘short’ is strictly prohibited.
Beyond these physical restrictions, the Taliban have moved to silence women entirely. Their voices are now considered ‘intimate,’ leading to a ban on singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. This is not merely an attempt to control women’s bodies but an effort to eliminate their presence from the public sphere altogether. The laws extend further to ban music, the publication of images of living beings, solo female travel, and any interaction between unrelated men and women. Even the use of mobile phones in universities has been prohibited, cutting off vital communication and access to information for students.
Crushing Media Freedom and Expression
The Taliban’s suppression of women is part of a broader strategy to clamp down on all forms of free expression in Afghanistan. Since their return to power, the Taliban have systematically dismantled the country’s media space. Over 70 percent of Afghan media outlets have been forced to shut down, while those that remain operate under severe restrictions. Journalists face constant threats, harassment, and even torture, leading many to flee the country. This exodus of media professionals has decimated independent reporting, leaving the Afghan population in a state of near-complete isolation from the outside world.
International media broadcasts, including the widely trusted BBC services in Pashto and Persian, have been silenced, cutting off millions of Afghans from independent news sources. This move has not only targeted women’s rights but also curtailed freedom of expression and access to information, creating an environment of increasing isolation and control. The Taliban have imposed wide-ranging restrictions on media and free speech, prohibiting any content that could be seen as ‘insulting’ to national figures or having a “negative impact on the public’s attitude.” This blanket censorship is designed to suppress dissent and maintain the Taliban’s grip on power.
The Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolds
The Taliban’s return to power has plunged Afghanistan into a humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. Nearly 25 million people are now caught in the throes of a severe crisis, with food insecurity reaching alarming levels. The country’s economy, already fragile, has collapsed under the weight of the Taliban’s mismanagement and the withdrawal of international aid. Cash shortages and soaring food prices have left millions struggling to survive.
The situation is aggravated by ongoing conflict, which has led to a sharp increase in civilian casualties. Before the Taliban’s takeover, fighting between government forces and the Taliban resulted in a rise in deaths and injuries from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), mortars, and airstrikes. The situation has only worsened since, with the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) exploiting the chaos to carry out deadly attacks on schools, mosques, and minority communities, particularly the Hazara Shia. These attacks, combined with the Taliban’s own targeted killings, have created an environment of fear and violence that pervades every aspect of Afghan life.
The Taliban’s forces have also engaged in widespread forced evictions, particularly targeting the Hazara community. These evictions, often carried out in retaliation for perceived support of the previous government, have left hundreds of families displaced, adding to the humanitarian crisis. The Taliban’s actions are not just about maintaining control; they are about punishing those who dare to resist or who represent the pluralistic society that Afghanistan was beginning to build.
The Systematic Erasure of Women’s Rights
Nowhere is the Taliban’s regressive agenda more evident than in their treatment of women and girls. Immediately after their takeover, the Taliban authorities announced a series of policies that effectively rolled back two decades of progress in women’s rights. Access to education, employment, and public life has been severely curtailed. Secondary schools for girls have been closed in most provinces, and women have been barred from working in many government jobs. The Taliban have dismissed almost all female government employees, and those who had taught boys or men have been removed from their positions.
The Ministry for Women’s Affairs, a symbol of the post-2001 progress in gender equality, has been replaced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. This institution, tasked with enforcing strict behavioural rules, now dictates how women dress, when and whether they can leave their homes, and under what conditions they can participate in public life. Women’s shelters, once a refuge for those fleeing violence, have been closed, with some being converted into women’s prisons—a glaring symbol of the Taliban’s view of women as second-class citizens.
The Taliban’s promises to allow girls to return to school and to support women’s education have proven worthless. While they have announced that girls and women can participate in higher education, this is only allowed under conditions that make it practically impossible—such as the requirement that women must not study alongside men. The lack of female teachers, especially in higher education, means that many girls and women will effectively be denied access to education, further entrenching their marginalization.
International Outcry and the Road Ahead
The international community has reacted with alarm to the Taliban’s actions, with the United Nations leading the charge in condemning the regime’s human rights abuses. A report by UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett detailed the rapid erosion of women’s rights and the Taliban’s systematic attacks on civilians. Bennett’s report highlighted the plight of ethnic and religious minorities, who face arbitrary arrests, torture, executions, and displacement. The situation for these communities, already dire, has continued to deteriorate since the Taliban’s return to power.
Bennett warned that the independence of Afghanistan’s judicial system has been compromised, and local human rights monitoring mechanisms have been dismantled. The abolition of the independent Human Rights Commission is particularly concerning, as it leaves the country without any national mechanism to address the scale of human rights violations taking place. The report called for further investigation into potential international crimes, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Despite these warnings, the Taliban have shown little interest in changing course. Akhundzada, much like the Taliban’s original leader Mullah Mohammad Omar, remains located in Kandahar, adhering strictly to conservative Pashtun tribal customs, including the seclusion of women and early marriages for girls. His disregard for international condemnation and the growing discontent among Afghans reflects his commitment to maintaining the Taliban’s rigid interpretation of Islamic law, regardless of the consequences for the country.
Glimmers of Resistance and the Hope for Reform
Amid the bleak ground sitation, there are small but significant signs of resistance. Within the Taliban itself, a younger generation of leaders has begun to voice concerns about the direction the country is heading. These more pragmatic members, while still committed to the Taliban’s overarching goals, recognize the need for a more balanced approach, particularly in the face of Afghanistan’s dire economic and humanitarian crises. However, they remain largely silent, unable or unwilling to challenge the authority of their hardline elders.
The international community, particularly Islamic scholars and political figures, has a crucial role to play in supporting these more moderate voices within the Taliban. Farhadi, an analyst with connections to the group, has urged for engagement with these figures, advocating for a reform within the Taliban that could lead to a more inclusive and less repressive governance. While progress may be slow and fraught with challenges, the possibility of change remains if the right pressures and influences are applied.
As the people of Afghanistan continue to grapple with the harsh realities of Taliban rule, many argue that the world must not turn its back on the millions of Afghans who are suffering under this oppressive regime. According to them, the fight for human rights, particularly the rights of women and minorities, is far from over. Hence, the international community must remain vigilant, continue to hold the Taliban accountable, and support those within Afghanistan who are striving for a better future.
[Photo by Marius Arnesen, via Wikimedia Commons]
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
K.M. Seethi is ICSSR Senior Fellow and the Academic Advisor of the International Centre for Polar Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. He also served as Senior Professor and Dean of International Relations at MGU.
