This report provides the first near-comprehensive analysis of the Taliban’s governance in Afghanistan (August 2021–October 2025) through the legal framework of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Afghanistan ratified CEDAW in 2003 without reservations, and its obligations remain binding under international law.
Drawing on 379 triangulated sources—including Taliban decrees, United Nations documentation, human rights reports, academic scholarship, and verified testimonies—the report systematically examines Taliban laws, policies, and practices against CEDAW’s first 16 Articles.
It finds widespread and consistent restrictions on women’s and girls’ rights across education, healthcare, employment, access to justice, freedom of movement, family life, and political participation.
By mapping empirical evidence onto specific treaty obligations, the report clarifies the scope and structure of violations of legal obligations and provides a rigorous analytical foundation to inform international policy, diplomatic engagement, humanitarian programming, and accountability mechanisms concerning Afghanistan.
Complete Report
Introduction
Articles 1–3
Article 4
Article 5
Article 6
Article 7
Article 8
Article 9
Article 10
Article 11
Article 12
Article 13
Article 14
Article 15
Article 16
Conclusion
