In a stark condemnation of the Taliban's treatment of women in Afghanistan, Rina Amiri, the U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights, revealed distressing accounts of female prisoners resorting to suicide due to the fear of humiliation under Taliban custody, Daryo’s correspondent in Afghanistan reported.

Amiri reported that several girls and women, detained by the Taliban on the pretext of violating hijab regulations, tragically took their own lives out of fear of the shame and degradation they faced while imprisoned.

"The actions taken under the decree are degrading and have a devastating effect on women, girls, and families," stated Amiri, emphasizing the detrimental impact of the Taliban's harsh measures on Afghan society.

The U.S. Special Envoy highlighted the widespread arrests and harassment faced by hundreds of women and girls by the Taliban, who often impose hefty fines as punishment for perceived violations of their strict dress code.

Amiri underscored the urgent need to halt such oppressive actions and hold the Taliban accountable for their egregious violations of human rights.

"These actions undermine half of Afghanistan's potential and deprive the Afghan people of self-sufficiency," Amiri declared, drawing attention to the detrimental consequences of the Taliban's repressive policies on the nation's progress and prosperity.

Women’s Rights After Taliban Takeover 

Following the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, significant restrictions on women's rights, media freedom, and freedom of expression have been imposed, leading to a stark decline in the overall human rights situation in the country. Institutions dedicated to upholding human rights have been either severely curtailed or completely shut down. Peaceful demonstrators have faced arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances, while extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, and torture of perceived opponents by the Taliban have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

The impact of extreme poverty has been exacerbated by drought and other natural disasters, further exacerbating the hardships faced by the Afghan population. Public executions and floggings have been employed as punitive measures for offenses such as murder, theft, engaging in "illegitimate" relationships, or breaching societal norms. Women's rights have been specifically targeted, with their participation in public life severely restricted. Shockingly, Afghanistan became the only country where girls were prohibited from attending secondary school, with most institutions addressing gender-based violence shut down by the Taliban.

The Ministry of Women's Affairs was dissolved, and replaced by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which issued oppressive decrees limiting women's and girls' rights. Women who dared to protest against these restrictions faced unlawful detention and violence. The ban on girls attending secondary and tertiary education was strictly enforced, and even in universities, female students were subjected to stringent regulations, including gender-segregated classrooms and full-body coverings.

Access to public spaces for women and girls was increasingly restricted, with the Taliban imposing dress codes and requiring women to have a male chaperone when in public. Women and girls were prohibited from entering public parks, and arbitrary enforcement of these rules led to widespread fear and self-censorship among women. The Taliban held male relatives accountable for any violations of these restrictions by female family members, leading to further constraints on women's freedoms.

Moreover, the dismantling of governmental structures and the conversion of the judicial system to a religious-based Sharia system significantly reduced protections for women and girls, resulting in a surge in reports of domestic violence and forced marriages. With no reliable mechanism for women to seek redress for domestic violence, many suffered in silence. The Taliban's restrictions on women's employment outside the home further exacerbated the economic vulnerability of women, particularly those who were the primary breadwinners for their families.

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