A UN report released on Thursday, December 24th highlights concerns about the Taliban’s practice of imprisoning women for their protection against gender-based violence and the negative mental and physical health consequences of this practice for women already in a vulnerable situation.
UNAMA, the UN mission in Afghanistan, emphasizes that this practice constitutes “an arbitrary deprivation of liberty” and raises concerns about the potential for further victimization, discrimination, and stigmatization upon release.
Since retaking control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has enforced harsh rules and systemic gender discrimination, marginalizing women and girls from public life. The group has restricted women’s movements and denied them access to education, employment, social mobility, and other freedoms. The Taliban restriction has made Afghanistan the only country that bans girls and women from education under the pretext of Sharia law and cultural norms.
According to the report, women are no longer involved in the judiciary or law enforcement, are prohibited from handling cases related to gender-based violence, and are only allowed to attend work when called by their male supervisors. “The absence of women personnel and inherent cultural dynamics inadvertently discourage and inhibit survivors from lodging complaints, contributing to survivors’ and/or at-risk women and girls’ lack of trust in the de facto justice system,” reads the report.
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Benett, had previously stated that these discriminatory policies could amount to crimes against humanity.
In response to the report, the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the UN that they are committed to safeguarding the lives and property of all citizens of Afghanistan, including addressing cases related to women in accordance with Islamic Sharia laws. “The handling of cases is based on Sharia law, and according to the ministry, no injustice is committed against women,” the ministry stated. “If the severity of the case is high, there will be no mediation, and the case is referred to the court.”
Furthermore, the Taliban spokesman, Zahibullah Mujahid, told CBS News that he was not aware of any incident or report of someone being imprisoned without a crime being committed and that he would investigate the report.
Before the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, according to the report, Afghanistan had 23 state-sponsored women protection centers in Kabul and various provinces. None of these centers remain operational, as the Taliban authorities dismiss them as Western concepts.