RASC News Agency: The Civil Society and Press Advocacy Organization has issued a stark warning about the Taliban’s relentless erosion of women’s fundamental rights over the past four years, describing it as an organized assault on their freedoms and dignity. Addressing international organizations, the statement reads:
“On this sacred occasion of International Women’s Day, we, the women of Afghanistan, declare that for nearly four years, our fundamental rights have been systematically and mercilessly dismantled. The restrictions and prohibitions imposed upon us have infiltrated every aspect of our existence, erasing our autonomy, silencing our voices, and stripping away our dignity and humanity.”
The statement highlights that “since the very first days of the Taliban’s return to power, girls have been systematically barred from attending schools, universities, and educational courses. Education the beacon of a brighter future and the foundation of any progressive society has been reduced to an unattainable dream.” The organization asserts that “women in Afghanistan have been ruthlessly excluded from all forms of employment and professional engagement. Economic independence is not only a fundamental human right but also a critical tool for breaking the chains of systematic oppression. Depriving women of economic agency has effectively rendered them invisible in public and professional life.”
The statement further condemns the Taliban’s oppressive policies, stating: “Rigid and draconian regulations have stripped women of their presence in cultural, sports, social, and recreational spaces. These restrictions have suffocated our identity, turning us into shadows within our own society. Additionally, our access to essential healthcare and public welfare services has been severely curtailed. Even the most basic public amenities bathhouses, gyms, beauty salons, and entertainment venues once symbols of well-being and social engagement, have been forcibly shut down, further isolating us.”
The organization underscores the Taliban’s suffocating restrictions on women’s mobility, stating: “In today’s Afghanistan, a woman cannot step outside her home without a male guardian. The constant and ruthless surveillance over our movements has transformed our daily lives into an invisible prison. We are not just confined to our homes; we are locked out of public life altogether.” The statement urges international organizations, human rights defenders, and the global community to take immediate and decisive action to amplify the voices of Afghanistani women and ensure justice prevails.
“Despite the overwhelming oppression imposed upon us, we, the women of Afghanistan, refuse to be silenced. Our fight for justice, dignity, and fundamental rights will not cease. We call upon the world to stand with us to ensure that the voices of Afghanistani women are heard and that this grave injustice does not continue unchecked.” The Civil Society and Press Advocacy Organization has previously condemned the Taliban’s systematic marginalization of women, warning that living conditions for women in Afghanistan have become increasingly unbearable under the group’s rule.
