The German Foreign Ministry has stated the Taliban transforming Afghanistan into a “social dungeon” for women and girls, citing their escalating restrictions on female participation in public life.
On Tuesday, 4 March, the ministry released images of a meeting in Berlin between German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and a group of Afghan female activists. Referring to the Taliban’s oppressive policies, the ministry wrote on its X page: “Walling up windows, erasing women’s public images: The Taliban are building a social dungeon for Afghan women & girls.”
The German Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to listening to Afghan women’s voices and consulting with Afghan civil society activists regarding human rights violations in the country.
138 Taliban Decrees Against Women Since January
Meanwhile, Afghan and international civil society organisations issued a joint statement on Tuesday, referencing a report by the US Institute of Peace that revealed the Taliban has issued 138 decrees against women and girls since 31 January 2025. These decrees, the statement noted, have resulted in the systematic exclusion of women from public life and imposed severe discrimination.
The statement praised an initiative by Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands, urging the Taliban to halt violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It suggested that this initiative could pave the way for legal action against the Taliban at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Calls for Justice and Accountability
Afghan and international civil society groups also welcomed virtual and in-person consultations with Afghanistan’s human rights community and emphasised the need for continued, inclusive, and meaningful dialogue. They called for urgent accountability and justice to address the worsening women’s rights crisis in Afghanistan.
The statement underscored that Afghan women and girls must be recognised as “agents of change” and included in evidence collection, case documentation, strategic communications, and future legal proceedings related to their rights.
International Condemnation of Taliban Policies
In September 2024, the foreign ministers of Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands issued a declaration condemning the Taliban’s grave and systematic human rights violations, particularly their gender-based discrimination against women.
A group of nations, including Albania, Belgium, Iceland, Malaysia, Morocco, Panama, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, has backed the joint declaration, reinforcing international pressure on the Taliban to uphold women’s rights in Afghanistan.
