Under the Taliban regime, women and girls in Afghanistan have been victims of brutal gender discrimination. Since August 2021, the Talibans have systematically erased them from public life, depriving them of basic human rights and exposing them to countless forms of abuse and exploitation. Moreover, countless women who tried to protest have faced insults, torture, arrests and disappearances.

The situation in Afghanistan clearly constitutes a system of gender apartheid and must be codified and recognized as a crime against humanity. 

The United Nations will finalize the drafting of the new Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity in October 2024. As Politics4Her and Associazione di Solidarietà Donne per le Donne (ASDD), we call on the UN to explicitly include Gender Apartheid in the treaty. Support us. Sign the petition.

Objectives

• Amplify global awareness of ongoing gender apartheid in Afghanistan through a targeted social media campaign and collaborative advocacy efforts.
• Obtain international condemnation of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity through competent international bodies.
• Promote the recognition and codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity within international law

Our recommendations to the United Nations:

• Finalize the drafting of the new Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity to explicitly include gender apartheid as a crime.
• Appoint a Special Rapporteur dedicated to monitoring, reporting, and advocating against gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
• Implement targeted sanctions against individuals and groups perpetuating gender apartheid and ensure mechanisms for accountability and justice.

Our recommendations to Member States:

• Apply diplomatic pressure on the Taliban regime, making gender equality a non-negotiable condition in all engagements.
• Expand asylum and refugee programs specifically for Afghanistani women and girls at risk of persecution due to gender apartheid.
• Condition all financial aid to Afghanistan on tangible improvements in the rights and freedoms of women and girls.
• Push for the implementation of feminist foreign strategy principles to protect the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Our recommendations to International Civil Society Organizations:

• Launch global awareness campaigns to highlight the plight of women and girls under gender apartheid in Afghanistan.
• Establish support networks for Afghanistani women and girls, providing legal, psychological, and financial assistance.
• Systematically document human rights abuses against women and girls in Afghanistan to maintain international attention and pressure.

Our recommendations to Educational Institutions:

• Conduct research on the impacts of gender apartheid and advocate for evidence-based policy changes.
• Offer scholarships and exchange programs for Afghanistani women and girls to study abroad, gaining education and skills to support their communities.

By signing and sharing this petition using the hashtag #EndGenderApartheid, you join an international movement demanding justice and equality for women and girls in Afghanistan. Visit our website for more.

Who are we?

Politics4Her is a feminist and youth-led NGO advocating for the inclusive participation of women and girls in politics, civil society, and decision-making processes. Driven by a commitment to gender equality, equity, intersectionality, and social justice, Politics4Her empowers young women to become confident agents of change.

Associazione di Solidarietà Donne per le Donne (ASDD) is a women- and refugee-led association dedicated to promoting gender equality for refugees from Afghanistan. ASDD's ultimate goal is to amplify the voices of women and girls of Afghanistan, ensuring their rights are protected regardless of where they live.

Contacts:

• endgenderapartheid.af@gmail.com
• asdd@as-dd.eu
• politics4her.eu@gmail.com