Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has warned that the Taliban have transformed the country’s judicial system into a weapon against women and girls — an act he described as a potential crime against humanity.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Bennett reported that the Taliban, after seizing power, suspended the constitution and all laws protecting women’s rights. They dismissed all judges from the previous government, including 270 female judges, and replaced them with untrained men who rule solely based on the Taliban’s ultra-conservative interpretation of Islamic law.
Based on interviews with over 110 Afghans inside and outside the country, Bennett’s report reveals a justice system entirely void of women:
“Today, there are no female judges, prosecutors, or lawyers in Afghanistan. Women and girls are effectively cut off from any safe and fair access to justice.”
The report highlights that Taliban rules requiring women to be accompanied by a male guardian to access judicial institutions have created significant barriers, especially for widows, women-headed households, internally displaced persons, and those with disabilities.
Facing a hostile legal environment and frequent dismissal of their complaints, many women are forced to turn to traditional and informal mechanisms, such as local jirgas, community elders, or religious figures — systems often dominated by patriarchal norms.
Bennett urged the international community to support efforts to refer Afghanistan to the International Court of Justice for violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
