A new report by the U.N. special rapporteur on Afghanistan warns the Taliban has “normalized” systemic violence and human rights abuses against women and girls, and says it may amount to gender persecution — a crime against humanity. The report condemns cases of arbitrary arrests of women protesters, as well as bans on women and girls from schools, most jobs, and even their use of public parks.
The report also finds journalists and dissidents are subjected to surveillance, harassment, violence and detention. Economic sanctions on the Taliban, and the loss of foreign aid, have also exacerbated humanitarian concerns in Afghanistan as an estimated 18.9 million Afghans — or half the population — are experiencing hunger.