SUFFOCATING
»»Women and girls persecuted in Afghanistan »»Amnestytells of Taliban thugs’ torture & abuse
THE lives of Afghan women and girls are being destroyed by a “suffocating” crackdown by the Taliban since they took power nearly a year ago, Amnesty International said.
After they captured the capital Kabul, and ousted the internationally-backed government, the Islamic fundamentalists presented themselves as having moderated since their first time in power, in the 1990s.
Initially, Taliban officials spoke of allowing women to continue to work and girls to continue their education.
Instead, they have banned girls from attending school from seventh grade, imposed all-covering dresses that leave only the eyes visible and restricted women’s access to work.
A report by Amnesty said the Taliban have also decimated protections for those suffering domestic violence, detained women and girls for minor violations and contributed to a surge in child marriages.
The findings also documented torture and abuse of women arrested for resisting the restrictions.
The report found: “Taken together, these policies form a system of repression that discriminates against women and girls in almost every aspect of their This suffocating crackdown against Afghanistan’s female population is increasing day by day.”
The group’s researchers visited Afghanistan in March as part of a ninemonth-long investigation which started last September.
They interviewed 90 women and 11 girls, aged between 14 and 74.
Witnesses said they had been detained for protests and described torture at the hands of their Taliban guards, including beatings and threats to kill them or their families.
One university student who was detained said she was electrically shocked on her shoulder, face, neck and elsewhere, while the Taliban shouted insults at her. One held a gun at her and told her: “I will kill you and no one will find your body.” Another woman told Amnesty guards beat her and other women on the breasts and between the legs, “so we couldn’t show the world”.
She said one told her: “I can kill you and no-one would say anything.”
The report said rates of child, early and forced marriage in Afghanistan are surging under Taliban rule.
It added the increase is fuelled by the country’s economic and humanitarian crisis and the lack of educational and job prospects for women and girls.
The report also documented cases of forced marriages of women and girls to Taliban members – under pressure by the militia or by their families.
One woman told Amnesty the economic collapse compelled her to marry off her 13-year-old daughter to a 30-year-old neighbour in exchange for 60,000 Afghanis (around €550). She said she felt relieved because her daughter “won’t be hungry any more”.
The witness added she was also considering the same for her 10-year-old daughter but was holding off in the hope the child could get an education and eventually secure a job.
She said: “Of course, if they don’t open the school, I will have to marry her off.”
Stephanie Sinclair, director of Too Young to Wed, said: “You have a patriarlives. chal government, war, poverty, drought, girls out of school.
“With all of these combined, we knew child marriage was going to go through the roof.”
The Taliban seized Kabul as US and Nato forces were withdrawing from Afghanistan, ending a nearly 20-year war against the Taliban’s insurgency.
The international community has refused to recognise the Taliban’s rule, demanding respect for human rights and tolerance for other groups.
The US and its allies have cut off billions in development funds that kept the government afloat, as well as freezing billions in national assets.
This sent the already shattered economy into freefall, increasing poverty dramatically and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Millions, struggling to feed their families, are kept alive by a Un-led relief.
Amnesty secretary general Agnes Callamard said: “The Taliban’s draconian policies are depriving millions of women and girls of their right to lead safe, free and fulfilling lives
“If the international community fails to act, it will be abandoning women and girls in Afghanistan, and undermining human rights everywhere.”
If the world does not act, it will be abandoning girls and women in Afghanistan
AGNES CALLARD AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SEC GENERAL