August 15 marks the day when darkness fell upon homes across Afghanistan, and thousands of girls and women were deprived of their right to education, work, freedom, and a life with human dignity. This day is not only a reminder of the systematic oppression of women in Afghanistan but also a symbol of the international community’s failure to protect the most basic human rights.

Since that day, Afghan women and girls have stood with unparalleled courage against discriminatory policies and gender apartheid. Despite being denied access to education, employment, and public life, they have kept the flame of hope alive in every street and household.

The Afghan Women’s Rights Watch calls on the international community to:

  • Recognize and condemn the Taliban’s policies against women as gender apartheid;

  • Provide immediate, practical, and sustainable support for Afghan women and girls in the fields of education, work, and political participation;

  • Resist the normalization of relations with a regime that systematically violates women’s rights.

We firmly believe that the future of Afghanistan will not be built without the participation and leadership of women. Today, more than ever, there is a need for solidarity, a united voice, and effective action.

Afghan women, despite all restrictions, will never surrender. August 15 is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality — a struggle that will continue until no girl or woman in this country is deprived of her human rights because of her gender.

MD. Zakira Hekmat
President of Afghan Women’s Rights Watch
August 15, 2025