In its latest report, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has once again exposed the repressive and destructive nature of the Taliban regime. The report warns that the enforcement of the so-called “Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” not only systematically violates civil and human rights, particularly of women and minorities, but also inflicts over $1.4 billion in annual economic losses on the country.
Under the guise of “rebuilding an Islamic society,” the Taliban have weaponized this law to oppress women, silence dissent, and erode fundamental freedoms. Women are denied access to education, employment, and public life. The law has also created an atmosphere of fear, where families are pressured into enforcing Taliban restrictions themselves. According to recent surveys, enforcement of these rules by male family members has doubled—a grim indication of how gender apartheid is being normalized at the household level.
Meanwhile, Taliban “morality enforcers” have been granted unchecked authority to carry out arbitrary arrests, harass women in public spaces, and confiscate property. These actions are not only unlawful but have also corroded social trust and created a culture of fear and uncertainty.
UNAMA cites UN Security Council Resolution 2777, calling for the immediate repeal of this law. But the question remains: will international appeals be enough to halt this regressive tide?
As Afghanistan plunges deeper into a crisis of rights and economy, the global community’s silence and inaction only empower the Taliban’s brutal rule. The so-called “virtue law” is not a mark of piety—it is a mechanism of structural oppression. To break this cycle, Afghanistan needs internal solidarity, global pressure, and the unyielding voices of women rising against injustice.
