The Taliban and women's human rights in Afghanistan: the way forward

The recent Taliban's seizing of power in Afghanistan has raised serious concerns among women's human rights advocates within Afghanistan and abroad. The Taliban, who previously ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, are notorious for their severe abuses and gross violations of women's human rights. Their 2021 takeover has revived traumatic experiences to many who witnessed their ruthless rule in the 1990s. Afghanistan has signed multiple human rights treaties that address various aspects of women's lives, including their political participation, education, employment, health, and equality before the law, and is obligated to adhere to these treaties. The central question of this article is, what will happen to the human rights of Afghan women and girls now that the Taliban are back in power? This article aims to answer this question by examining (a) the Taliban origin and the factors that led to their rise in the 1990s and resurgence in 2021 and (b) the human rights obligations of the Taliban regime concerning women. This article argues that the Taliban's policies and practices are in direct contradiction with their obligations to uphold the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and concludes with practical recommendations to mitigate their suffering.