Fire Consumes the Body, the Cry Echoes Across the World: Abida’s Self-Immolation and the Crisis of Misogyny in Afghanistan

In one of the most heartbreaking reflections of gender-based violence in Afghanistan, Abida, a young woman with no escape from a forced marriage, chose self-immolation and lost her life. This harrowing incident has deeply affected every conscience and once again pulled back the curtain on a silent catastrophe that continues to destroy the lives of thousands of Afghan women and girls under the oppressive rule of the Taliban. In response, the Afghan Women’s Justice Movement, which has consistently stood at the forefront of the fight for women’s rights, organized an online discussion titled “Self-immolation is not the only escape.”
In this session, three prominent human rights activists — Farshteh Abbasi, Parasto Yari, and Rahel Talash — examined Abida’s case through legal, social, and humanitarian lenses. Their discussion not only explored the personal tragedy of Abida but also analyzed the structural oppression Afghan women face under the Taliban regime. Events such as these, led with courage by the Afghan Women’s Justice Movement, serve as a vital platform for silenced women and an urgent call for global awareness. At a time when injustice has become normalized and resistance criminalized, these efforts stand as a testament to the enduring commitment to justice, human dignity, and collective responsibility.
This gathering was not merely a recounting of one woman’s tragedy — it mirrored a deepening collective crisis that the world must no longer ignore.
Farshteh Abbasi: Abida is not just a victim — she is the silent cry of all Afghan women.
Farshteh Abbasi, a researcher on Afghanistan with Human Rights Watch, began her remarks by expressing deep sympathy with Abida’s family:
“Abida’s story is not only a personal sorrow for her family — it reflects the shared anguish of thousands of Afghan women who, over the past four years, have suffered in silence under a misogynistic regime.”
Abbasi cited numerous reports of human rights violations, including a recent UN report by Richard Bennett, the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan. She referred to Taliban laws such as “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” as tools of systemic oppression:
“These laws, imposed without oversight, have institutionalized crimes against humanity. The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has even called for arrest warrants against Taliban leaders, acknowledging the gender apartheid unfolding in Afghanistan.”
She also highlighted the Taliban’s dismantling of critical protections for women that existed under the republic — such as courts, safe houses, and legal aid. Abida’s case, she said, is not just a personal tragedy but a collective outcry against a system designed to erase women.
“We must urge the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent, impartial legal mechanism for documenting and investigating these crimes. Without such a system, justice cannot be achieved.”
Parasto Yari: Abida’s self-immolation was both a cry of suffering and a declaration of resistance.
Parasto Yari, a women’s rights lawyer and activist, offered a deeply humane reflection:
“Abida’s self-immolation is not only a symbol of victimhood but a desperate act of resistance. In the 21st century, no woman should be forced to choose death over marriage.”
She sharply criticized the silence of both Afghan institutions and the international community:
“When a human being loses all fundamental rights and her voice burns in flames, the world remains disturbingly quiet. This culture of silence must be broken.”
Yari described forced marriage under Taliban rule as institutionalized sexual slavery and emphasized that Afghanistan, among the 51 Muslim-majority countries, has uniquely institutionalized gender-based violence at this level:
“What we see in Afghanistan today is pure gender apartheid.”
She also called on religious scholars to speak out:
“If religion is being used to justify such violence, then the religious community has a duty to stand against it.”
Her proposed solution: grassroots awareness — from mosques and schools to tents and trees.
Rahel Talash: My story mirrors the same fate that engulfed Abida in flames.
Rahel Talash, a social activist and survivor of forced marriage, shared her painful personal story:
“At 16, I was married off to a 43-year-old man — not for money or safety, but due to a cruel tradition. On her deathbed, my aunt asked my mother to marry me to her son. That promise ruined my life.”
Rahel described years of suffering, repeated suicide attempts, and finally winning a divorce through the attorney general’s office in Kabul — a victory that came at great social cost:
“Society turned its back on me. My family and relatives made me their enemy.”
But Rahel refused to be silenced:
“I vowed to protect my sisters. Every time they tried to silence me, I screamed louder.”
“Before, each family had one Taliban supporter. Now, we have four in every home. Yet we must keep resisting.”
Her message was one of collective empowerment:
“Say ‘no’ to oppression — that’s the beginning of liberation. I did it. You can too.”
Conclusion
The online panel “Self-immolation is not the only escape” went beyond a singular tragedy — it exposed the structural and ideological violence Afghan women endure daily. Abida’s act, while deeply personal, became a symbol of collective suffering. Through powerful testimonies and legal analysis, the panel illustrated that gender violence in Afghanistan is not just physical or isolated — it is embedded in law, power, and culture, and amounts to gender apartheid.
Three key messages emerged:
1. The urgent need for legal documentation and accountability mechanisms for Taliban crimes.
2. The importance of international advocacy and justice frameworks.
3. The necessity of grassroots awareness and civil resistance to break the cycle of silence.
This event was not just a memorial — it was a reminder that in today’s Afghanistan, being born a woman is the start of a lifelong struggle. But persistent efforts like this keep hope alive. The world must listen, because silence in the face of these atrocities is complicity.