In Afghanistan, International Women’s Day no longer marks celebration or achievements—it’s a symbol of survival, resistance, and a plea for justice. For the fourth year running, Afghan women face the Taliban’s harsh restrictions, yet they refuse to silence their calls for freedom and equality.
This year, on March 8, Afghan women’s protest movements, human rights activists, and international groups issued statements and held rallies, urging the world to address the crisis facing women in Afghanistan. But will these voices break through? Tarz Press analyzed their demands and found three core requests directed at the global community, detailed below.
80 Decrees to Erase Women from Society
Human Rights Watch reports that since regaining power, the Taliban have issued over 80 decrees systematically excluding women from social, economic, and political life. These orders strip women of rights to education, work, travel, public presence, and even clothing choice.
Protesting women, activists, and female journalists face constant threats, arrests, torture, and suppression. “They’ve pushed us off the streets, but they can’t silence our voices,” said a protester in Kabul. Despite the risks, Afghan women keep fighting for their rights.
Afghan Women’s Demands from the World
On International Women’s Day, Afghan women outlined three key demands:
1. Immediate Reversal of All Taliban Restrictions
The top demand is the unconditional lifting of all bans on education, jobs, and social participation. Women argue no nation can progress by sidelining half its population. International reports show over 2.5 million Afghan girls are denied schooling, with closed classrooms darkening the future for generations. “We want to study. Why is the world silent?” asked a 16-year-old Kabul student.
Job bans have worsened the economy, plunging female-headed households into abject poverty and cutting access to basic needs. Restrictions on women studying medicine have also triggered a dire shortage of female doctors, driving up maternal and infant mortality rates alarmingly.
2. End Global Engagement with the Taliban
Afghan women urged the world to isolate the Taliban rather than engage with them, arguing that three years of dialogue have only emboldened the group’s crackdown. “Every time a country negotiates with the Taliban, we lose another right,” one woman said. Activists called for sanctions and trials over the Taliban’s crimes against women.
3. Recognize Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
Activists demanded that the world formally recognize the Taliban’s policies as gender apartheid. Afghanistan’s UN representative, Nasir Ahmad Faiq, told a special session, “The Taliban enforce the worst form of gender apartheid. The world must acknowledge this and act decisively.” Women warn that without this recognition, the Taliban will keep up their widespread oppression unchecked.
Global Solidarity: Real or Just for Show?
The UN, Amnesty International, and UNESCO called on the Taliban to lift restrictions. UNESCO warned that barring girls from education “will destroy Afghanistan’s future,” while Amnesty stressed the need for concrete action beyond words. Yet many Afghan women see these statements as inadequate. “We don’t need sympathy—we need action,” said an exiled activist.
Will the World Step Up?
Women’s movements caution that without serious intervention, the Taliban will tighten their grip, and conditions for Afghan women will deteriorate further. It’s unclear whether global powers will respond with action or stick to a hands-off approach. One thing is certain: Afghan women won’t give up. In the face of darkness, they fight on, raising their voices louder, hoping this time the world won’t just watch.
