Women’s Rights in Afghanistan under Taliban Rule: A Human Rights Perspective

The rights of women all around the globe from time immemorial has been in jeopardy more so in certain geographical regions than others and it has worsened with time. Women’s rights have been stolen, their freedom curtailed beyond reason, and their whole entity reduced to a mere animal existence. Though violations of rights and crimes against women are prevalent across the world, their intensity and prevalence have been excessive in certain states. The laws, rules and customs based on religion created by the powers that be, have all contributed to oppress women further. It is pertinent to mention that this study does not aim to diminish religion or is not against any specific religion or customs, but it only seeks to point out the shortcomings of the humans or leaders in interpreting and enforcing such norms for individual benefit and with the ulterior motive of suppressing one gender. This study is limited only to women rights in Afghanistan subsequent to the rule by the Taliban. It focuses on how the Taliban regime tends to affect millions of women’s rights and freedom in Afghanistan, and the role of international law in promoting women's rights. This study seeks to analyse the lives of women in Afghanistan before and after Taliban rule, and through that it sheds limelight on how women are treated even in the 21st century, as property of men and are suffering a worse fate than an animal.