Women’s protests denounce gender apartheid in Afghanistan

The movements “Afghan Women’s Voice” and “Women for Freedom” organized protests in the Afghan capital Kabul and the Iranian capital Tehran to oppose Taliban rule and denounce the restrictions imposed on women and girls.

During the demonstrations, participants condemned the severe restrictions enforced since August 2021, stressing that Taliban policies amount to “gender-based apartheid, crimes against humanity, and structural terrorism.”

Activists called on the international community not to recognize Taliban rule or provide it with financial support, urging instead the criminalization of gender apartheid and the replacement of engagement with the Taliban by direct communication with Afghan civil society organizations.

In Kabul, members of the “Women’s Liberation Movement” gathered in a closed location, where they delivered protest statements and chanted symbolic songs, emphasizing that “every step taken in Kabul’s quiet streets is an act of resistance, and every word spoken is an arrow striking the heart of tyranny.”

Since seizing power on August 15, 2021, the Taliban has imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including banning them from education and employment, and preventing their participation in public life. Observers note that these policies have not only caused economic repercussions but also inflicted deep social and psychological impacts, leaving formerly active women in society increasingly isolated and subjected to harsh constraints.

 A-H 

ANHA