Afghanistan
As of early 2026, the human rights situation in Afghanistan is described by the UN and international observers as a "gender apartheid" and a "protracted humanitarian catastrophe." Since the return of the Taliban in 2021, the country has seen a systematic dismantling of legal protections and civil liberties.
1. Systematic Persecution of Women and Girls
Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls and women are systematically barred from education beyond the primary level (grade 6).
Education & Work: Women are banned from universities and most forms of employment, including roles with the UN and NGOs. In early 2026, reports indicate that women’s presence in healthcare is also under threat, leading to a projected 50% increase in maternal mortality.
Public Life: New "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" laws prohibit women from singing or speaking loudly in public. They must be accompanied by a mahram (male guardian) for travel and are required to cover their faces.
Mass Detention: The number of women prisoners has reportedly risen by over 400% since 2021, often for "moral crimes" like failing to follow dress codes.
2. Collapse of Civil Liberties
Freedom of the Press: Media outlets have been shuttered or strictly censored. Journalists face arbitrary arrest, torture, and "enforced disappearances" for reporting critical of the regime.
Judicial System: The Taliban has replaced the previous legal code with a strict interpretation of Sharia. Public corporal punishments—including public floggings and executions—have surged in 2025 and 2026.
Retaliation: Despite promises of amnesty, there are consistent reports of extrajudicial killings and torture targeting former government officials and security forces.
3. Persecution of Minorities and At-Risk Groups
Ethnic Minorities: The Shia-Hazara community continues to face dual threats: institutionalized discrimination from the Taliban and targeted mass-casualty attacks from the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP).
LGBTQ+ Individuals: People identify as LGBTQ+ face extreme risk, including reports of torture and death threats, with no legal protection or safe pathways for escape.
4. The Humanitarian Crisis
Human rights are inextricably linked to the economic collapse.
Starvation: As of 2026, roughly 21.9 million people (nearly half the population) require humanitarian aid. Widespread food insecurity is being worsened by climate-driven droughts.
Healthcare: The ban on female education has created a critical shortage of female doctors. In many provinces, women are prohibited from being treated by male doctors, effectively cutting them off from life-saving care.
Global Accountability Measures
In October 2025, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a landmark resolution to create an independent mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of these abuses. This body aims to build cases for future prosecutions in international courts, specifically targeting the crime of gender persecution.