[Islamabad] The Organization for World Peace (OWP) has called on the global community to take immediate action to prevent Afghanistan from devolving into a society defined by gender apartheid. The Canadian-based group’s latest report, published recently, warns that the international community must not accept the Taliban’s severe restrictions on women and girls as a “new normal.”
Since taking control of Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban has imposed increasingly draconian policies aimed at excluding women from public life, most recently targeting female entrepreneurs in Herat.
In its report, OWP urged “intensified efforts to elevate the voices of Afghan women and safeguard civic spaces.” It emphasized the importance of engaging with the Taliban constructively but cautioned against actions that could inadvertently grant legitimacy to the regime. OWP’s recommendations include providing financial and logistical support to Afghan human rights groups and nongovernmental organizations to counteract the repression.
Systematic erosion of women’s rights
The Taliban’s takeover has ushered in a grim chapter for Afghan women and girls. Policies implemented under the regime’s Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice have essentially erased women from public life. These rules, which treat women as sources of moral corruption, require them to conceal their bodies, faces and even voices.
In response, some Afghan women have resisted by posting videos in which they are singing, with messages such as “My voice is not forbidden” and “No to the Taliban.” However, punishment for defiance is severe. The Justice Ministry has warned that violations may result in property confiscation, detention for one hour to three days, public humiliation and “any other punishment deemed appropriate.”
“Women are integral to the health and development of society,” OWP stated in its report. “Their continued exclusion and disempowerment will only impede Afghanistan’s prospects for peace and prosperity.”
A call for justice and equality
Alexandra Trantos, a human rights activist affiliated with OWP, describes the Taliban’s gender policies as a mechanism for political control. “Restricting women’s autonomy has become a tool for political manipulation and social control,” Trantos explains. She also highlights the psychological toll on Afghan women, who face profound mental health challenges from prolonged exclusion. She calls for immediate measures, such as creating safe spaces and ensuring access to counseling through nongovernmental organizations.
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Afghan woman leaves salon in which women's faces are erased
(Photo: Jorge Silva/Reuters)
Trantos also underscores the vital role of Afghan diaspora communities in supporting grassroots organizations, advocating for international aid, and amplifying the voices of women still in Afghanistan. “Their fight is not merely a local struggle but a global call for justice and equality,” she concludes.
International reactions and condemnations
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a video statement Friday denouncing the Taliban’s treatment of women. Türk called the policies a “flagrant disregard for half the population” and described the restrictions as a “national calamity.” He urged the Taliban to reverse its discriminatory measures and restore women’s fundamental rights, warning that continued repression jeopardizes Afghanistan’s future.
Türk specifically criticized the closure of all women-only cafés in Herat, which had been a rare refuge for female entrepreneurs. These spaces not only provided income but also offered an opportunity for social connection in an otherwise restrictive environment. Their elimination marks another blow to Afghan women’s autonomy.
Closure of women-only cafés
The closure of the women-only coffee shops in Herat, where six such businesses had sprung up in recent years, illustrates the Taliban’s systematic dismantling of women’s freedoms. These cafés were essential for many women, both as a source of income and as spaces for mutual support in a deeply segregated society.
Laila Fatima Zaidey, a former political science student in Herat, described her experience with the Taliban. “I was in my third semester when the Taliban decree halted my education,” Zaidey said. She then opened a coffee bar exclusively for women, where they could meet freely. Despite complying with the Taliban’s strict dress codes, her business was forced to shut down.
Zaidey lamented the broader implications of the closures, noting that educated women in Herat – once a beacon of progress – are now largely confined to their homes. “This is causing immense stress and frustration,” she said.
A bleak governance landscape
Barakat Rahmati, a nonresident research fellow at the Afghanistan Policy Lab in Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs and a former Afghan diplomat, says this is a continuation of the Taliban's goal of erasing women. “The recent closure of women-only cafés in Herat is a stark reminder of the Taliban’s ongoing campaign against women and girls in Afghanistan.”
“These spaces, vital lifelines for female entrepreneurs and a rare sanctuary for connection, have been obliterated under a regime enforcing systemic gender apartheid,” he charged.
Rahmati said the regime’s exclusionary policies threaten Afghanistan’s cultural diversity and long-term stability.
“The Taliban are imposing a rigid cultural doctrine under the guise of Islam,” he warned. He also criticized the international community for its passive response, arguing that ongoing humanitarian aid inadvertently legitimizes the regime. “This passivity risks normalizing the oppressive regime,” he said.
Global implications of Taliban actions
Irina Tsukerman, a human rights and national security expert based in New York, echoed these concerns. She pointed out that, as the Taliban gains acceptance from some international actors, it faces less pressure to reform. “This growing acceptance enables the Taliban to solidify its oppressive policies while reinforcing its control over Afghan society,” Tsukerman said.
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She criticized the relative silence of women’s rights organizations in the West, attributing their lack of influence to insufficient political and economic leverage. Tsukerman also warned that the Taliban’s actions could fuel ideological extremism, posing broader risks to global security.
Moving forward and supporting Afghan women
The OWP report and statements from experts highlight an urgent need for coordinated international action to address Afghanistan’s deteriorating human rights situation. Advocates stress that supporting Afghan women requires not only humanitarian aid but also sustained diplomatic pressure to ensure that progress is made toward gender equality and social inclusion.
As the world watches, Afghan women continue to resist in small but significant ways. Their fight is not only for survival but also for a future where their voices and contributions are recognized as essential to Afghanistan’s prosperity.