Afghanistan: Taliban sends abused women to prison - UN

The Taliban government in Afghanistan is reportedly imprisoning survivors of women abuse, justifying it as a protective measure, according to a UN report. The UNAMA highlighted that this practice has detrimental effects on the mental and physical health of survivors. Additionally, state-sponsored women’s shelters, crucial for protecting women, no longer exist as the Taliban government deems them unnecessary. The UNAMA report reveals that gender-based violence against Afghan women and girls has risen, exacerbated by economic, financial, and humanitarian crises. The Taliban’s severe suppression of women’s rights in Afghanistan is among the harshest globally.

Before the Taliban’s resurgence in 2021, there were 23 state-sponsored women’s protection centers in Afghanistan. However, these have disappeared, with Taliban officials arguing that women should be with their male family members, dismissing shelters as a “western concept.” In cases where survivors lack male relatives or face safety concerns, they are placed in prison under the pretext of protection—a practice the UNAMA deems an arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

The UNAMA report notes the Taliban administration’s unclear and inconsistent handling of gender-based violence complaints, with a lack of distinction between criminal and civil complaints. Male personnel predominantly handle these complaints, discouraging survivors from coming forward. Survivors no longer have guaranteed redress for complaints, and fear of arbitrary actions by the Taliban government deters them from seeking formal justice.

Despite advancements in women’s rights between 2001 and 2021, including law and policy reforms, these gains have eroded since the Taliban’s return to power. The Taliban government has reneged on promises to grant women the right to work and study, restricting girls to primary school and barring teenage girls and women from educational institutions, parks, gyms, and pools. Additionally, stringent dress codes and the requirement for female travelers to be accompanied by a male relative further curtail women’s freedoms.