UN Warning: Taliban's Policies Deepen Gender Persecution in Afghanistan

The UN rights chief, Volker Turk, has condemned the Taliban's severe restrictions on Afghan women and girls, labeling them as systematic gender persecution. Since the Taliban's 2021 takeover, women have faced sweeping bans on education, jobs, and public appearance. Sanctions and halted aid have further deepened the nation's economic crisis.

The UN's rights chief, Volker Turk, issued a grave warning on Monday regarding the Taliban's extreme control over women and girls in Afghanistan, deeming it unparalleled and a serious threat to the nation's future.

Turk criticized new morality laws that ban women's voices and bare faces in public, along with sweeping restrictions on education and most jobs, considering them systematic gender persecution.

"I shudder to think what is next for the women and girls of Afghanistan," Turk stated at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, mentioning the Taliban's lack of response to these issues.

Since the Taliban's 2021 takeover, women have been excluded from most public spaces, and girls have been barred from schools beyond sixth grade, despite initial promises of a more moderate rule.

Further restrictions on women's access to work, travel, and healthcare unless accompanied by a male guardian, and enforcement of strict hijab codes, have compounded their plight.

Recent laws even ban women's public voices, eye contact with unrelated men, and mandate full-body coverings, forcing Afghanistan into further isolation and hardship, Turk added.

UN reports reveal that the Taliban takeover resulted in a financial crisis, propelling millions into poverty and desperation, with sanctions and halted aid severely affecting an already vulnerable population.

The situation for children has become critical, with millions desperately needing aid amid significant funding shortfalls that undermine the humanitarian response.

Richard Bennett, another UN speaker, emphasized the systemic oppression and segregation stemming from these morality laws, affecting almost the entire population.

Bennett also highlighted increasing reports of tightened movement restrictions and media censorship, reflecting the deepening control of Taliban morality laws over daily life.

(With inputs from agencies.)