The UN has issued a stern condemnation of the Taliban's manipulation of Afghanistan's legal system to oppress women and girls, labeling it as "crimes against humanity." Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, detailed these abuses in a report to the General Assembly, highlighting the severe regression in women's legal rights since the Taliban regained control in 2021.

Bennett's findings reveal that the Taliban have systematically dismantled the judiciary, ousting around 270 female judges and barring women from serving as judges or prosecutors altogether. The regime has replaced these positions with men who share their extremist views, many of whom are critically underqualified. This overhaul has left women and girls without legitimate avenues to report abuses or seek justice, effectively silencing their voices within the legal sphere.

The situation has drawn parallels to the darkest periods of Taliban rule. Human Rights Watch has echoed Bennett’s concerns, pointing out that the Taliban's "Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice" drastically limits women’s freedoms. This law, along with other repressive policies, has exacerbated an escalating humanitarian crisis, worsened by the forced return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries.

Personal stories of suffering under these oppressive laws have come to light in the "Voices of Afghanistan" interview series. A former family court director shared her harrowing experience of being stripped of her career and basic human freedoms. Confined to her home, she has faced the deaths of her children and significant health challenges without the solace of even simple liberties like visiting a park. Her testimony paints a vivid picture of the psychological and physical toll these laws have imposed on Afghan women.

Despite these alarming reports, the international response has been lackluster. Both Bennett and Human Rights Watch have criticized global leaders for their inadequate action in addressing these severe violations of women's rights in Afghanistan. An impassioned plea from an anonymous Afghan woman in the JURIST interview series underscores this frustration. She expresses her exhaustion and disillusionment with the international community's apparent indifference to the plight of Afghan women, who are among the most suffering in the world.

The call for a more robust international response is growing louder as these abuses continue to unfold. The world watches as Afghanistan's legal system is wielded as a weapon against women, with global powers yet to take decisive action to halt these crimes against humanity.