As the widespread international reactions to the Taliban’s closure of medical institutes for women and girls in Afghanistan continue, UN experts have classified this action as “femicide.” According to the UN, femicide arises from discrimination against women and girls, unequal power dynamics, and entrenched gender stereotypes, manifesting as the most extreme and brutal forms of violence against women. These experts stressed that banning women from studying medical sciences would inevitably lead to “unnecessary suffering, illness, and potentially the death of women.”
Legal experts have also argued that the Taliban’s actions constitute systematic femicide. They assert that the Taliban are actively creating conditions that foster femicide in Afghanistan. Reports from human rights organizations reveal that the Taliban have issued over 70 restrictive decrees targeting women and girls, effectively excluding them from all aspects of public life. Amnesty International and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan have previously warned that the Taliban’s widespread and severe violations of women’s rights may amount to crimes against humanity.
In a formal statement, UN experts described the ban on women studying medical sciences as “femicide.” The statement highlighted that this prohibition would result in “unnecessary suffering, illness, and potentially the death of women,” expressing deep concern over the implications.
The statement further emphasized that the Taliban’s new ban severely undermines the health, dignity, and prospects of Afghan women and girls. It characterized this policy as another direct assault on their rights. The experts warned that the restriction would result in immediate and generational suffering, illness, and death, categorizing it as a potential case of femicide.
UN experts also pointed out that under Taliban policies, only women can provide healthcare to other women and girls in Afghanistan. They warned that this new ban threatens to inflict irreparable damage on women’s healthcare and overall well-being. They noted that since taking power, the Taliban have systematically stripped women and girls of basic rights, including access to education, employment, freedom of movement, expression, and a life free from violence.
The statement cautioned that the newly reported ban would deepen systemic discrimination against women and girls while further destabilizing Afghanistan’s fragile healthcare system amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
“Maternal and child healthcare in Afghanistan is already in a critical state, with alarmingly high maternal and infant mortality rates,” the UN experts stated. They added that the new ban would exacerbate the crisis, leaving profound and long-lasting consequences. The experts urged the Taliban to rescind this decision and called on the international community to actively oppose the Taliban’s continued and oppressive policies against women.
The experts stated, “The world must stand in solidarity with Afghan women and girls, ensuring their fundamental rights are upheld and holding the Taliban accountable for their actions.” Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, and the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls also called for the immediate reversal of the Taliban’s policy and other restrictions targeting women.
These experts described the Taliban’s recent actions as “femicide,” aligning with the UN’s definition of the term, which refers to the deliberate killing of women and girls motivated by gender-based discrimination.
Previously, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights presented a report at the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council, highlighting the widespread and severe violence faced by Afghan women and girls under Taliban rule. He argued that such violence could potentially qualify as a crime against humanity.
The rapporteur added that the Taliban’s oppressive policies should ignite discussions on recognizing gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. He emphasized the need to utilize all available resources to address the situation.
On November 25, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the UN reiterated that femicide stems from gender-based discrimination and represents the most extreme and brutal manifestation of violence against women. The UN further noted that femicide exists within a continuum of interconnected forms of abuse occurring in homes, workplaces, schools, and public spaces, often driven by unequal power dynamics, harmful social norms, and entrenched gender stereotypes.
Shahla Farid, a former professor at Kabul University, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Taliban’s policies toward women amount to systematic femicide. She explained that femicide is a severe form of gender-based violence that should be recognized not only as an individual crime but also as a social and human rights issue.
Farid detailed the consequences of femicide, including the breakdown of family structures, heightened insecurity among women, the spread of fear and anxiety in society, profound effects on children and families of victims, and a decline in women’s economic participation. She emphasized the need to support victims and called on international organizations to exert pressure on perpetrators to combat and prevent gender-based discrimination.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International, during its 16-day campaign against violence toward women, reiterated that the Taliban’s sexual violence against Afghan women and girls has been largely overlooked. The organization noted that under Taliban rule, Afghan women have lost access to work, education, and personal freedoms in every aspect of life.
Amnesty International also highlighted evidence suggesting that the Taliban’s severe human rights violations may constitute crimes against humanity in the form of gender-based persecution. It cited cases of arbitrary detention, torture, and mistreatment of women accused of “moral crimes” or participating in peaceful protests, identifying these as potential crimes against humanity, including imprisonment, enforced disappearance, and torture.
Earlier this month, Karim Khan, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), announced plans to investigate the Taliban’s treatment of women and to issue arrest warrants for Taliban officials soon. This announcement has inspired hope among Afghan women and human rights organizations.
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