How the Taliban Uses Islam to Justify Anti-Women Policies in Afghanistan
Riya Kumari | Jan 27, 2025, 13:55 IST
Afghanistan in 2025 stands as a symbol of one of the most grotesque and systemic human rights violations in modern history. Under the brutal regime of the Taliban, the women of Afghanistan live as shadows, robbed of their humanity, their rights, and their voices. This is not a story of a distant, foreign land; this is a tragedy that must haunt us all, a crisis that demands the collective fury of the world. But disturbingly, the silence is deafening.
Afghanistan, once a country of hope and resilience, has become the darkest pit of despair for its women. Under the iron fist of the Taliban, women have been systematically erased from public life, stripped of their rights, and reduced to shadows of their former selves. This is not just a crisis for Afghanistan; it is a stain on humanity. The global silence on this issue speaks volumes about our collective failure to protect the most vulnerable. This article delves into how the Taliban rose to power, the brutal laws they have enforced, their misuse of religion to justify oppression, and the shameful silence of human rights activists who often defend the indefensible. Finally, it presents a roadmap for reversing this grotesque system and restoring dignity to Afghan women.
Who Are the Taliban?
The Taliban, a ruthless group that has controlled Afghanistan for much of the past two decades, is at the heart of this oppression. Originating from a faction of extremist Sunni Muslims, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 1996 and ruled until 2001 when they were ousted by the United States and its allies. However, following the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2021, the Taliban swiftly regained power. Under the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law, women have become invisible. The oppression they face isn't just political; it's societal, cultural, and religious. Every aspect of their lives has been crushed under the weight of the Taliban’s suffocating rules, enacted with a perverse justification of religion. This is not some shadow of a past society; this is Afghanistan today. A place where a woman’s worth is measured solely by the degree of her subjugation.
The Laws That Break Women's Spirits
The Taliban's laws are not just regressive—they are brutal. In their world, a woman is nothing without the permission of a man.
1. Education Ban: Girls are barred from attending school beyond sixth grade and are denied university education. This is an attempt to ensure that women remain uneducated and subservient.
2. Work Restrictions: Women have been expelled from nearly all public-sector jobs, effectively removing them from the workforce.
3. Public Space Prohibitions: Women are banned from parks, gyms, and other recreational spaces, erasing their visibility and agency.
4. Beauty Salon Ban: Even beauty salons, often one of the few safe havens for Afghan women, have been shuttered.
5. Dress Codes: The imposition of strict dress codes, including the mandatory burqa, further dehumanizes women and reduces them to faceless entities.
6. Travel Limitations: Women are not allowed to travel without a male guardian.
7. Ban on Looking at Unrelated Men: Women are not allowed to look directly at men to whom they are not related by blood or marriage, and vice versa.
8. Prohibition of Singing and Public Speaking: Women are forbidden from singing, reciting poetry, or speaking aloud in public. Their voices are considered intimate and should not be heard outside their homes.
These are not isolated incidents. This is the normalized reality for millions of women under the Taliban. The laws are draconian, and the message is clear: women are not equals; they are to be controlled, silenced, and erased. The Taliban does not even try to hide the fact that their oppressive policies are aimed at the complete dehumanization of Afghan women.
The Misuse of Religion to Justify Oppression
What makes the Taliban’s atrocities even more perverse is the way they weaponize religion. They claim to act in the name of Islam, twisting and distorting its teachings to justify their actions. Islam, at its core, promotes justice, mercy, and the protection of human dignity. Yet the Taliban has turned it into a tool of terror and control. The religion that has inspired millions to fight for freedom is now being used to cage millions of women in a cycle of oppression.
This perversion of faith is what fuels their justification. They argue that their actions are divinely ordained, that the degradation of women is their God-given duty. But this isn’t religious devotion—this is political extremism masked in the guise of piety. The world has witnessed enough of this ideological manipulation to understand that the Taliban’s use of religion is nothing but a smokescreen for their tyranny.
The Silence of the "Human Rights" Advocates
The most insidious part of this crisis is the silence from human rights defenders—many of whom have stood in defense of terrorists in the name of “human rights.” These organizations, too often blind to the realities on the ground, have failed to stand up for Afghan women. They focus on abstract principles while the women of Afghanistan suffer every day. They are ready to defend the “rights” of the Taliban, but where is the defense for the women who have had their rights ripped away? The same organizations that cry out for “freedom” are eerily silent when it comes to the real victims—the Afghan women.
It’s as if these human rights activists have forgotten that human rights begin with the most basic of freedoms—the right to exist as an equal in the eyes of the law. They are too busy appeasing the political motivations of regimes like the Taliban and too afraid to confront the truth. The result is a global indifference to the plight of women in Afghanistan. The Taliban grows stronger, and the women grow weaker, trapped in a suffocating prison of religious extremism.
The Path Forward: A Roadmap for Change
The situation is dire, but change is possible. The world cannot afford to sit idly by any longer. The following steps outline how we can begin to reverse this oppressive system and offer hope to the women of Afghanistan:
International Pressure on the Taliban: Nations around the world must stand together and demand the restoration of Afghan women’s rights. Sanctions should be imposed, and international aid should be tied to reforms that benefit women. Governments must isolate the Taliban diplomatically and economically until they begin to change.
1. Support for Afghan Women’s Advocacy Groups: While the Taliban seeks to silence Afghan women, there are many brave organizations inside Afghanistan and in the diaspora that continue to fight for women’s rights. These organizations must be given more support—financially, politically, and morally. They are the voices of resistance, and they must not be left to fight alone.
2. Humanitarian Aid Focused on Women: International humanitarian organizations must prioritize the needs of women and girls, especially in terms of education, healthcare, and freedom from violence. We must create pathways for women to escape Afghanistan and offer them safe haven in other countries. Education should be restored through clandestine means if necessary, providing women the tools to fight back against their oppressors.
3. Amplify Afghan Women’s Voices: Social media and international media outlets should amplify the voices of Afghan women, who have been silenced for too long. They must be given the opportunity to tell their stories, speak their truths, and become agents of change in their own country.
4. Accountability for Human Rights Violations: The international community must hold the Taliban accountable for their human rights violations. The U.N. and other international bodies must launch investigations and ensure that those responsible for these atrocities face justice.
5. Revolutionize Global Perspectives on Human Rights: Human rights are not abstract principles—they are a matter of survival. The world must radically rethink its approach to human rights. Supporting freedom means more than defending abstract values; it means standing up for the oppressed, especially when their voices are silenced.
Igniting the Flame for Change
This is not just an issue for Afghanistan—it’s a crisis for humanity. We cannot let this moment slip away. The silence of the international community is complicit in the suffering of millions of women. The time for passive condemnation is over. The world must stand united in fighting for the rights of Afghan women. If we fail to act, we are complicit in their dehumanization. The flame of justice must burn brighter than ever before, and it must consume the injustice that holds the women of Afghanistan in chains.
The oppression of Afghan women is not just a tragedy; it is a moral failing of the highest order. It is up to us to turn the tide, to rise up and say that enough is enough. If we don’t, who will?
Who Are the Taliban?
Taliban
The Taliban, a ruthless group that has controlled Afghanistan for much of the past two decades, is at the heart of this oppression. Originating from a faction of extremist Sunni Muslims, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 1996 and ruled until 2001 when they were ousted by the United States and its allies. However, following the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2021, the Taliban swiftly regained power. Under the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law, women have become invisible. The oppression they face isn't just political; it's societal, cultural, and religious. Every aspect of their lives has been crushed under the weight of the Taliban’s suffocating rules, enacted with a perverse justification of religion. This is not some shadow of a past society; this is Afghanistan today. A place where a woman’s worth is measured solely by the degree of her subjugation.
The Laws That Break Women's Spirits
Afghanistan women
The Taliban's laws are not just regressive—they are brutal. In their world, a woman is nothing without the permission of a man.
1. Education Ban: Girls are barred from attending school beyond sixth grade and are denied university education. This is an attempt to ensure that women remain uneducated and subservient.
2. Work Restrictions: Women have been expelled from nearly all public-sector jobs, effectively removing them from the workforce.
3. Public Space Prohibitions: Women are banned from parks, gyms, and other recreational spaces, erasing their visibility and agency.
4. Beauty Salon Ban: Even beauty salons, often one of the few safe havens for Afghan women, have been shuttered.
5. Dress Codes: The imposition of strict dress codes, including the mandatory burqa, further dehumanizes women and reduces them to faceless entities.
6. Travel Limitations: Women are not allowed to travel without a male guardian.
7. Ban on Looking at Unrelated Men: Women are not allowed to look directly at men to whom they are not related by blood or marriage, and vice versa.
8. Prohibition of Singing and Public Speaking: Women are forbidden from singing, reciting poetry, or speaking aloud in public. Their voices are considered intimate and should not be heard outside their homes.
These are not isolated incidents. This is the normalized reality for millions of women under the Taliban. The laws are draconian, and the message is clear: women are not equals; they are to be controlled, silenced, and erased. The Taliban does not even try to hide the fact that their oppressive policies are aimed at the complete dehumanization of Afghan women.
The Misuse of Religion to Justify Oppression
Islam
What makes the Taliban’s atrocities even more perverse is the way they weaponize religion. They claim to act in the name of Islam, twisting and distorting its teachings to justify their actions. Islam, at its core, promotes justice, mercy, and the protection of human dignity. Yet the Taliban has turned it into a tool of terror and control. The religion that has inspired millions to fight for freedom is now being used to cage millions of women in a cycle of oppression.
This perversion of faith is what fuels their justification. They argue that their actions are divinely ordained, that the degradation of women is their God-given duty. But this isn’t religious devotion—this is political extremism masked in the guise of piety. The world has witnessed enough of this ideological manipulation to understand that the Taliban’s use of religion is nothing but a smokescreen for their tyranny.
The Silence of the "Human Rights" Advocates
Anti women laws Afghanistan
The most insidious part of this crisis is the silence from human rights defenders—many of whom have stood in defense of terrorists in the name of “human rights.” These organizations, too often blind to the realities on the ground, have failed to stand up for Afghan women. They focus on abstract principles while the women of Afghanistan suffer every day. They are ready to defend the “rights” of the Taliban, but where is the defense for the women who have had their rights ripped away? The same organizations that cry out for “freedom” are eerily silent when it comes to the real victims—the Afghan women.
It’s as if these human rights activists have forgotten that human rights begin with the most basic of freedoms—the right to exist as an equal in the eyes of the law. They are too busy appeasing the political motivations of regimes like the Taliban and too afraid to confront the truth. The result is a global indifference to the plight of women in Afghanistan. The Taliban grows stronger, and the women grow weaker, trapped in a suffocating prison of religious extremism.
The Path Forward: A Roadmap for Change
Change
The situation is dire, but change is possible. The world cannot afford to sit idly by any longer. The following steps outline how we can begin to reverse this oppressive system and offer hope to the women of Afghanistan:
International Pressure on the Taliban: Nations around the world must stand together and demand the restoration of Afghan women’s rights. Sanctions should be imposed, and international aid should be tied to reforms that benefit women. Governments must isolate the Taliban diplomatically and economically until they begin to change.
1. Support for Afghan Women’s Advocacy Groups: While the Taliban seeks to silence Afghan women, there are many brave organizations inside Afghanistan and in the diaspora that continue to fight for women’s rights. These organizations must be given more support—financially, politically, and morally. They are the voices of resistance, and they must not be left to fight alone.
2. Humanitarian Aid Focused on Women: International humanitarian organizations must prioritize the needs of women and girls, especially in terms of education, healthcare, and freedom from violence. We must create pathways for women to escape Afghanistan and offer them safe haven in other countries. Education should be restored through clandestine means if necessary, providing women the tools to fight back against their oppressors.
3. Amplify Afghan Women’s Voices: Social media and international media outlets should amplify the voices of Afghan women, who have been silenced for too long. They must be given the opportunity to tell their stories, speak their truths, and become agents of change in their own country.
4. Accountability for Human Rights Violations: The international community must hold the Taliban accountable for their human rights violations. The U.N. and other international bodies must launch investigations and ensure that those responsible for these atrocities face justice.
5. Revolutionize Global Perspectives on Human Rights: Human rights are not abstract principles—they are a matter of survival. The world must radically rethink its approach to human rights. Supporting freedom means more than defending abstract values; it means standing up for the oppressed, especially when their voices are silenced.
Igniting the Flame for Change
Flame
This is not just an issue for Afghanistan—it’s a crisis for humanity. We cannot let this moment slip away. The silence of the international community is complicit in the suffering of millions of women. The time for passive condemnation is over. The world must stand united in fighting for the rights of Afghan women. If we fail to act, we are complicit in their dehumanization. The flame of justice must burn brighter than ever before, and it must consume the injustice that holds the women of Afghanistan in chains.
The oppression of Afghan women is not just a tragedy; it is a moral failing of the highest order. It is up to us to turn the tide, to rise up and say that enough is enough. If we don’t, who will?