Amnesty International expressed concerns in its annual report about restrictions on women’s rights, media freedom and freedom of expression in Afghanistan.
“Restrictions on women’s rights, freedom of the media and freedom of expression increased exponentially,” the report said. “Institutions designed to support human rights were severely limited or shut down completely. Peaceful protesters faced arbitrary arrests, torture and enforced disappearance,” the report highlighted.
The report added that women’s rights were severely limited during the interim government in Afghanistan.
“Women’s rights continued to be attacked, and women’s participation in public life was severely limited. Afghanistan was the only country where girls were banned from attending secondary school. Almost all institutions set up to address gender-based violence under the former government were shut down by the Taliban.”
Moreover, the de facto government has banned women’s work with Non-Governmental Organizations, which has affected the humanitarian aid in the country since most of their staff were female.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 97% of Afghans lived in poverty, up from 47% in 2020. The report added that the lack of social protections led families to resort to measures including child marriage and selling organs.
However, the organization expressed concern over the lack of funds to cover the humanitarian crisis in the country. “The level of humanitarian assistance did not meet the population’s needs.”
The increasing humanitarian crisis was worsened by Drought, flash flooding, earthquakes, and other natural catastrophes, some of which were exacerbated by climate change.
However, since the Taliban regime returned to power in the country, the group has intensified its repression of women’s rights and freedom.
Recently, the Taliban authorities arrested Matiullah Wesa, an education and human rights activist and dispersed the women and girls peaceful demonstration in Kabul.
The current harsh and suppressive policy will further promote poverty, unemployment, and extremism, which will lead to harbouring terrorists and threatening global peace and security, according to the Center for a New American Security (CNAS).
