Shattering Silence: The Urgent Call to Recognise Gender Apartheid and Empower Afghan Women and Girls

Blog by Nigina Istanakzai-Zarifi 

The voices of Afghan women and girls have long been silenced under the oppressive rule of the Taliban. Their rights to education, employment, and basic freedoms have been systematically stripped away, as their lives are reduced to an unrelenting cycle of violence and subjugation. Today, these voices are raising an urgent call for global action: they demand that gender apartheid, the systemic oppression and segregation of women and girls based on gender, be formally recognised as a crime against humanity under international law.

The Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 has reignited a horrific reality for women and girls across the country. The regime's policies and practices, designed to erase the rights of half the population, have transformed Afghanistan into a living example of gender apartheid. From the forced wearing of the burqa to the complete exclusion of women from education and the workforce, the Taliban's laws institutionalise a form of domination and violence that is not just discriminatory but deliberately designed to perpetuate female subjugation.

The international community has long ignored the issue of gender apartheid, leaving it outside the scope of legal recognition. However, growing calls from UN experts and global advocates are pushing for gender apartheid to be recognised as a crime against humanity. This would close a critical gap in international law, holding oppressive regimes like the Taliban accountable for their actions. Afghan women, including activists like Sima Wali, have long fought to expose the devastating impact of gender apartheid, not just in Afghanistan, but also in Iran and beyond.

The inclusion of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity under Article 2 of the draft articles on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, currently being discussed by the UN General Assembly’s Sixth Committee, presents a historic opportunity. It would legally define the systematic oppression of women and girls as an internationally punishable crime, ensuring that such violations are no longer ignored or tolerated.

The Taliban's policies go far beyond mere persecution—they are part of a larger, institutionalised system of oppression with the explicit intent to extinguish the human rights of Afghan women and girls. Acknowledging gender apartheid within international law would not only recognise the scale of this abuse but also galvanise international legal condemnation and action.

In the face of global inaction, the international community must respond to the call of Afghan women and girls. We must stand in solidarity with them, demanding that gender apartheid be recognised as a crime against humanity, and that the Taliban be held accountable for its oppressive regime. It is time to ensure that the law fully protects the rights, dignity, and freedom of women and girls in Afghanistan—and across the world.

By recognising gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, we can begin to dismantle the structures of oppression and give hope to those still fighting for their rights. Now is the time for action.