5. GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
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“In Afghanistan before... there were so many ways for men to abuse women. Now that the Taliban came, it broadens the scope to abuse women more.” Asma, psychologist for survivors of gender-based violence140
“If there is no system for survivors, and no place to go, there is no hope.” Parwin, judge for gender-based violence offenses141
Before the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Afghanistan had one of the highest rates of violence against women in the world, with nine out of 10 women experiencing at least one form of intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.142 The frequency of such violence is horrifying, but many women and girls at least had access to a network of shelters and services, including pro-bono legal representation, medical treatment and psychosocial support. While the system had limitations, it served thousands of women and girls each year.143 Women and girls who entered the shelters would often stay for months or even years, depending on their particular needs, and they were given training on professional skills or on other ways of generating long-term income. In some cases, survivors were also supported to find new places to live.144 Survivors were referred into the system from provincial and capital offices of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, as well as from shelters, hospitals and police stations across the country. Survivors’ legal cases were supported by the 2009 Law on the 139 For more information on the collapse of the system of services for women and girl survivors of gender-based violence in Afghanistan, see Amnesty International, “Afghanistan: Survivors of gender-based violence abandoned following Taliban takeover”, 6 December 2021, amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/12/afghanistan-survivors-of-gender-based-violence-abandoned-followingtaliban-takeover-new-research/ 140 Interview, 2021. 141 Interview, 2021. 142 UNAMA, “UN calls for solidarity and commitment to end violence against women and girls amidst humanitarian crises”, 25 November 2021, reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/un-calls-solidarity-and-commitment-end-violence-against-women-and-girls-amidst 143 Interview by video call with UN Women, 23 November 2021. For more on the EVAW law and the system protecting survivors of gender-based violence prior to the Taliban’s takeover, see Human Rights Watch, “I Thought Our Life Might Get Better”: Implementing Afghanistan’s Elimination of Violence against Women Law. 144 Interview by video call with UN Women, 23 November 2021, and interviews with service providers, 2021.
D E AT H I N S L O W M O T I O N : W O M E N A N D G I R L S U N D E R TA L I B A N R U L E
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