KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Afghan human rights activists, civil society members, researchers, and diaspora representatives in Europe have called for urgent international action against the Taliban’s treatment of women, describing it as crimes against humanity and gender apartheid.
The gathering, titled Women’s Rights in Afghanistan Under Taliban Rule: Challenges and Solutions, was held on Saturday, 26 April, in Auffargis, France.
In a joint resolution, participants said Taliban policies have led to widespread, structural, and systematic violations of the rights of women and girls.
Citing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and UN Security Council Resolution 1325, they urged the global community to recognize these violations as international crimes.
The activists called for formal recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan, referral of violations to international courts including the International Criminal Court (ICC), and increased support for networks providing education, healthcare, and protection for Afghan women.
They also demanded stronger backing for exiled women activists documenting rights abuses and warned against normalizing relations with the Taliban.
Since retaking power, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions, barring women from education, employment, and participation in public life.
Women’s rights groups have repeatedly warned that the Taliban’s policies constitute gender apartheid and have called for international recognition and accountability.
