The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the sudden withdrawal of Western forces, implementing an interpretation of strict Sharia law that has especially affected women and girls.

Since then, international relations have worsened. In early 2025, the ICC sought arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over gender-based persecution, prompting Afghanistan to withdraw from the court, condemning the action as baseless and politically motivated. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to bring a case to the International Court of Justice over alleged violations of a UN anti-discrimination treaty. A Taliban spokesperson has stated that the Taliban respect women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and local customs.

In this Global Insight podcast, our speakers consider the situation in Afghanistan, described by many as ‘gender apartheid’.

With:

• Fawzia Amini, former Afghan Supreme Court judge, now in the UK;
• Tamana Paryani, Afghan women’s rights activist based in Germany; and
• Richard Bennett, UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan.

Listen on Audioboom