Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, Afghan women have endured increasingly severe restrictions on their rights. A new “vice and virtue” law passed in August, bans women’s voices and bare faces in public. These repressive measures reflect the Taliban’s ongoing crackdown on women’s freedoms. Roza Otunbayeva, head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, labeled the law a “distressing vision” for the country’s future. Afghan women, excluded from key international discussions, are advocating for stronger global support. They demand that the international community hold the Taliban accountable for their violations of human rights. Rights advocates like Nilofer Ayoubi criticize the U.N.’s concessions to the Taliban, claiming it emboldens the regime while failing to protect Afghan women. They urge global leaders to take meaningful action to prioritize Afghan women’s rights and humanitarian needs.

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