Western Responses to Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan: Diplomacy, Sanctions, and Unintended Consequences

Written by Anika Kanitkar; Edited by Elad Raymond

Published on February 20th, 2024

Introduction

In August 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan’s government, bringing with them a sweeping series of socio-political reforms that have instituted a system of gender apartheid on Afghan women. Since taking power, the Taliban has issued over 80 edicts aimed at suppressing women and girls in Afghanistan and erasing them from public life. Passed in August 2024, the latest in this series of edicts, a ban on women speaking in public, demonstrates just how cruel and draconian the Taliban regime is when it comes to women's rights. These gender-based restrictions have further complicated the establishment of the Taliban’s diplomatic relations, particularly with the Western world, which largely views the edicts as extreme. This widespread international condemnation has often had unintended negative effects, deepening the suffering of the Afghan people without weakening the Taliban’s grip on power.

Gender Apartheid: Effects on Afghanistan

Gender apartheid, which is defined as an “institutionalized pattern of systemic domination and oppression on the basis of gender,” was first conceptualized by Afghan women activists based on the subjugation of women and girls by the Taliban, originally in the 1990s and has been widely used to describe the legal situation in the country since 2021. Examples of policies enforcing gender apartheid include the ban on education for girls beyond primary school, restrictions on women’s employment and freedom of movement, and the prohibition of women in public spaces, such as parks and gyms. This curtailing of women’s rights is rooted in the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islamic, or Sharia, law. The Taliban maintains that it will provide women and girls basic rights per Islamic rules, yet this vague definition has given the Taliban-controlled government the power to interpret Sharia law as they see fit, enabling state-sanctioned gender discrimination.

Women in Mazar-i-Sharif protest for their right to education.

Credit: TheMedialine

The system of gender apartheid has proven consequential for Afghan women and girls, especially when it comes to their health, economic opportunities, and social freedoms. The Taliban has banned women from seeing male doctors unless accompanied by a mahram, an Islamically appropriate male guardian such as a family member. For women who do not have access to a mahram, the consequences of this action have been deadly, and they have been prevented from accessing medical care or work. Female-headed households constitute nearly a quarter of Afghanistan’s population, due to male casualties from constant civil war and conflict. Furthermore, the ban on women's education and restricted participation in the workforce has contributed to the nation’s economic collapse under the Taliban. As the eligible workforce shrank significantly, qualified women were restricted from their industries, and most women-owned businesses have been unable to operate due to significant social and legal barriers. Afghan women have been forced inside the home by the Taliban who have severely restricted freedom of movement and expression, leading to a deterioration of mental health and an increase in suicide rates among Afghan women.

International Response: A Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Graph of the value of Aghanistan’s currency from January of 2021 to January of 2022.

Credit: Bloomberg

Major international organizations such as the United Nations, and human rights groups like Amnesty International have condemned the Taliban’s system of gender apartheid in Afghanistan. Amnesty International has taken a leading role in the fight against gender-based discrimination by advocating for the legal recognition of gender apartheid as a crime under international law due to the Taliban regime’s actions towards women. Despite the efforts of nonprofits like these, providing direct aid to Afghan women through nonprofits has become particularly challenging because the operational ability of these nonprofits has been limited by Taliban restrictions. Afghan women are not allowed to work in nongovernmental organizations, making it difficult to reach those in need and escalating an already severe humanitarian crisis that has erupted after decades of war and unrest.

There are also broader humanitarian implications for Afghan women, such as increased poverty, forced marriages, and human trafficking, all of which have increased in occurrence since the Taliban takeover in 2021. The imposition of international sanctions on the Taliban has made these issues worse, punishing the Afghan people rather than the Taliban government. These sanctions, targeting the Taliban and its senior leadership, have crippled the economy, disrupted essential services, and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis without achieving desired political changes by making foreign banks afraid to deal with Afghan bank amounts out of fear of violating sanctions. Additionally, the impact of these sanctions is felt most severely by households headed solely by Afghan women, who face limited opportunities for employment.

The West’s Response: More Harm Than Good?

In response to the Taliban’s imposition of gender apartheid, among other harmful policies, the U.S. and EU have significantly altered their foreign policies toward Afghanistan. These changes include suspending financial aid, imposing economic sanctions, and ramping up support for Afghan refugees, particularly women and children fleeing oppression. However, the U.S. and EU's approach to Afghanistan, while rooted in human rights concerns, has inadvertently exacerbated the suffering of the Afghan population, particularly through the aforementioned sanctions and aid cuts, which have crippled the economy and hindered humanitarian efforts. Their focus on diplomatic isolation and refugee support, though morally justified, fails to address the broader economic collapse and regional instability, leaving the Taliban largely unchallenged in its governance while pushing Afghanistan closer to non-Western powers. For example, China and the Taliban have shown an interest in Afghanistan becoming a part of its Belt and Road Initiative, which would focus on building infrastructure and trade with the Taliban regime. Additionally, Russia has taken steps to recognize the Taliban government, as the parliament has approved the removal of the Taliban from Moscow’s terrorist watch list. Both countries' engagement with the Taliban contrasts sharply with the U.S. and EU’s isolation strategy.

Ultimately, the West's approach to Afghanistan remains caught between moral imperatives and strategic concerns, with neither fully addressing the country's dire economic and humanitarian crisis. As other powers deepen their ties with the Taliban, the future of Afghanistan seems increasingly shaped by competing global interests rather than a commitment to human rights. Thus, diplomatic engagement with the Taliban remains complex and fraught with contradictions, as countries attempt to balance these competing priorities. Meanwhile, grassroots movements, the Afghan diaspora, and international advocacy groups continue to push governments and multilateral institutions to take a stronger, more coordinated stance against gender apartheid. These activists play a crucial role in mobilizing public opinion, advocating for more robust action, and ensuring that the voices of Afghan women are heard on the global stage, demanding meaningful change from the international community.

Conclusion

Former Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament Fawzia Koofi advocating for the rights of Afghan women at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway.

Credit: Per Ole Hagen/Getty Images

Gender apartheid in Afghanistan has had devastating effects on Afghan society, especially for women and girls, while posing significant challenges for global foreign policies. Despite widespread international condemnation, the global response has often had unintended negative effects, deepening the suffering of the Afghan people without weakening the Taliban’s grip on power. As other global powers, such as China and Russia, strengthen ties with the Taliban, the West’s approach can increasingly be seen as ineffective in addressing both the humanitarian disaster and domestic instability. To confront this crisis, a more nuanced and coordinated international strategy is needed—one that not only holds the Taliban accountable for its human rights abuses, but also addresses the economic collapse and growing regional realignment in Afghanistan. To effectively confront this crisis, sustained international pressure and strategic, coordinated action are crucial, ensuring that both humanitarian needs and security priorities are addressed in tandem.