Subject: Condemnation of the Taliban Leader’s Decree to Remove Women’s Photos from National IDs
The Afghanistan Women’s Justice Movement strongly condemns the recent verbal decree by the Taliban’s absent leader, which instructs local authorities to remove women’s photos from national ID cards and other official documents. This decree, lacking any written legal basis or formal approval process, is part of the Taliban’s systematic policy to erase women from Afghanistan’s social, civic, and legal life. It constitutes a clear violation of the principle of legality, human rights, gender equality, and amounts to a crime against humanity.
Background
The Taliban’s order to remove women’s photos from ID cards is not only discriminatory but a deliberate attempt to erase gender identity and eliminate women’s presence from public life. This directive:
- Explicitly violates fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 1, 2, and 6);
- Breaches Articles 2, 3, and 16 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
AWJM Protest Action
In response to this policy, the Afghanistan Women’s Justice Movement has launched the campaign “The Mirror of Afghan Women.” In this symbolic act, instead of a photo on sample ID cards, a small mirror has been placed to convey a powerful message:
“The identity of Afghan women cannot be erased; every woman is a reflection of truth.”
Videos and images of this campaign have been widely shared on social media and have rapidly become a symbol of resistance against the systematic erasure of women.
Our Message to the Taliban and the International Community
The Taliban must understand this: Removing a photo does not remove humanity. Afghan women will never allow their identity to be erased from history. We stand firm against these misogynistic policies and will continue our struggle.
Our Formal Demands
We call on the international community, human rights organizations, governments, and global institutions to:
- Place the Taliban under human rights sanctions for this action.
- Impose a travel ban on all Taliban officials to EU member states, the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. until this decree is fully revoked.
- Pursue this act as a crime against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
