The Invisible Crime of Gender Apartheid
Written by Nandita Dinesh for Sahar Education
The Taliban's systematic oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan has escalated to new heights, with a recent decree banning Afghan women from praying aloud or reciting the Quran in the presence of other women, effectively silencing their voices in both public and private spheres. This trajectory has dashed earlier hopes that the Taliban might ease restrictions on women's education. Instead, the regime appears intent on entrenching a system of gender apartheid, systematically erasing women from public life. Richard Bennett, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has launched a review of these repressive policies, describing the latest decree as a "pivotal moment."
In response to these violations, there is a growing international movement to recognize gender apartheid as a crime under international law. The United Nations' Sixth Committee (Legal) recently approved a draft global treaty targeting crimes against humanity. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, advocate for this treaty to codify gender apartheid as a crime, representing a historic step toward ending systemic discrimination and oppression of women and girls in Afghanistan and beyond.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has called upon Muslim leaders to support efforts to classify gender apartheid as a crime under international law. During a summit on girls' education in Muslim communities, she emphasized the need for Muslim voices to oppose the Taliban's treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan. Yousafzai urged scholars to denounce the Taliban’s oppressive policies and for political leaders to back legal measures against gender apartheid. (Reuters)
“The Taliban do not see women as human beings.”
Recognizing gender apartheid as a crime against humanity is a crucial step toward holding oppressive regimes accountable and ensuring that the rights of women and girls are protected. It is imperative that the international community unites in this effort, standing in solidarity with those — like SAHAR — who continue to fight for equality and justice. Until then, the women of Afghanistan will remain unprotected and unseen by so many.