After the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, women in Afghanistan are treated as second-class citizens, systematically stripped of their rights. Over eighty decrees issued by the Taliban confine women to their homes and ban girls from attending school, turning Afghanistan into a prison for women and girls.

This gender apartheid is reinforced by new educational curricula and severe restrictions on women’s participation in every aspect of society. Women’s protests against these injustices have been met with harsh repression, including imprisonment, torture, and accusations of being influenced by foreign entities.

Inside the Taliban’s gender apartheid, a joint project of the Civic Engagement Project and the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center, highlights the stories of women who have courageously resisted these injustices—women who have endured imprisonment and brutality for their peaceful demands for basic rights. By refusing to remain silent and shedding light on the violence they face, their testimonies serve as evidence in the fight for justice.

The women who have survived this regime are now calling for international recognition of the Taliban’s gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. This recognition would not only validate their suffering but could also challenge the Taliban’s grip on power and pave the way for transitional justice, offering a potential path to healing and justice for Afghan women and girls. 

The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. ​At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

Content

In the News

Sep 1, 2021

Ghori-Ahmad was quoted in a piece by CNN Brazil on Taliban regime’s dilemma on internet and social media

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Sep 1, 2021

Ghori-Ahmad was quoted in VNExpress News on Taliban’s use of Social Media

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Sep 1, 2021

Ghori-Ahmad was quoted in CNN espanol news: “The Taliban’s dilemma on Social Media”

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Sep 1, 2021

Samad joins CGTN’s The Heat to discuss Afghanistan’s new start

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Sep 1, 2021

Nasr quoted in The Hill on Biden’s Afghanistan exit

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Sep 1, 2021

Nasr quoted in The New York Times on Biden’s foreign policy in Afghanistan

By Atlantic Council

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

Sep 1, 2021

How to avoid another state-building failure after Afghanistan

By Frank Ruggiero

Why did the United States continue a state-building policy after al-Qaeda was dismantled? And how can it learn to use force to negotiate the peaceful end to its next conflict?

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

Aug 31, 2021

To build lasting peace, you can’t ignore militant groups

By Imran Bayoumi

Efforts to stabilize conflict-ridden countries sometimes fail in large part because of their inability to constructively engage armed non-state groups.

Afghanistan Africa

In the News

Aug 31, 2021

Pavel in CBS News on Biden’s speech about Afghanistan withdrawal

By Atlantic Council

Senior vice president and director of the Scowcroft Center Barry Pavel speaks with CBS News on President Biden's speech on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Aug 31, 2021

US intel is now flying blind in Afghanistan

By Jennifer A. Counter

Good intelligence is all about people—which is why the president's 'over-the-horizon' approach may fail.

Afghanistan Conflict

Experts