News Center- The Taliban's return to power in August 2021 has led to a severe rollback of women's rights in Afghanistan. Reports of sexual violence, including rape by Taliban members, have increased alarmingly. Forced marriages, particularly among girls under the age of 18, have become more common, perpetuating cycles of abuse and inequality. The Purple Saturdays Movement issued a statement on social media platform X, calling on the international community and the United Nations to take an urgent action against the Taliban’s misogyny in Afghanistan.

“In the three years since the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan, the group has become notorious internationally for its egregious treatment of women. The Taliban's rule has been marked by rampant misogyny, violence against women, and systemic efforts to strip women of their rights and freedoms. However, the response of the international community and the United Nations to the Taliban's atrocities has been concerningly inadequate,” the movement said in the statement on Sunday.

 The Taliban's return to power has led to a severe rollback of women's rights in Afghanistan, the statement said. “Reports of sexual violence, including rape by Taliban members, have increased alarmingly. Forced marriages, particularly involving girls under the age of 18, have become more common, perpetuating cycles of abuse and inequality. This climate of fear and oppression has also led to a tragic rise in suicides among women, who see no escape from the brutality imposed upon them.

“Additionally, the Taliban's harsh and repressive policies have driven many women into drug addiction as a means of coping with the unbearable conditions of their daily lives. The combination of these factors is creating a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, with women bearing the brunt of the Taliban's oppressive regime.”

 Role of international community

 The international community and the United Nations have not done enough to confront the Taliban and protect Afghanistan women,” the movement added. “Despite clear evidence of human rights violations, the global response has been tepid, with some nations even continuing to engage diplomatically with the Taliban. This approach not only legitimizes the Taliban's rule but also emboldens them to continue their abuses without fear of repercussions.”

In the statement, the movement calls for immediate and concrete actions from the international community.

The international community should “impose sanctions, implement targeted sanctions against Taliban leaders and entities that are directly involved in human rights abuses, provide robust support to Afghanistan civil society organizations working to protect women's rights and offer services to survivors of violence, severe diplomatic ties with the Taliban until they demonstrate a genuine commitment to respecting human rights, particularly those of women and girls and establish an independent international body to monitor and report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, ensuring accountability for violations.”