Afghanistan faces mounting international pressure over human rights restrictions five years after the Taliban captured Kabul following the withdrawal of United States forces.
The United Nations reports that 14 million people in the country suffer from acute hunger while donor nations struggle to deliver planned aid packages.
In a commentary published by Spanish news outlet World Stock Market, journalist Rocio Colomer reported that Western nations must use financial assistance as leverage to protect vulnerable populations.
Human rights rollbacks for women and men
Afghans have suffered a severe setback in basic rights since the Taliban returned to power. Women face the most restrictive conditions in the world.
Afghanistan remains the only nation on earth that bans females from education. Girls and women are prohibited from attending secondary schools or studying at universities.
The regime also bars women from holding paid jobs. Women are not permitted to walk in public parks and must remain inside their homes unless accompanied by a male chaperone.
Under the Taliban law known as the Promotion of Virtue, women must cover completely with a full burqa or niqab when entering public space. The Taliban rely on illiteracy to suppress independent thought and maintain control.
Authorities have brought back child marriage practices previously enforced in the late 1990s. The regime has also legalised domestic violence, provided that beatings leave no visible physical marks on the victim.
Men are subject to strict lifestyle rules as well. Afghan men are required by law to grow beards. The regime prohibits men from listening to music and bans the use of internet-capable mobile phones.
Diplomatic ties and international relations
Despite its radical policies, the neo-Taliban administration has established working relationships with several foreign governments and international organisations.
Russia and China have granted formal diplomatic recognition to the Taliban government. The regime also maintains friendly ties with neighbouring Uzbekistan and Iran, as well as Turkey, Qatar, India, and the United Arab Emirates.
The European Union has engaged in talks with Taliban officials to negotiate a bilateral migration agreement. The EU is an economic and political union of 27 European member states headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
A Taliban delegation travelled to Brussels in June to discuss options for deporting Afghan nationals who have committed serious criminal offences inside European countries.
Border conflict and refugee crisis
Tensions along the border escalated into direct war between Afghanistan and Pakistan in March, causing hundreds of civilian deaths.
The armed conflict has worsened a severe humanitarian crisis across the region. Approximately five million Afghans have been displaced from their homes over the last three years.
Pakistan, which borders eastern and southern Afghanistan, has faced increased diplomatic and security challenges as displaced populations move across the frontier.
Humanitarian aid and Western leverage
Humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan have deteriorated sharply. UN data shows that 14 million residents experience acute hunger daily.
Donor nations planned to provide aid to 17.5 million Afghan citizens in 2026. The planned humanitarian aid package totals 1.71 billion dollars.
Afghanistan holds the second highest position globally for the total number of aid beneficiaries. It ranks sixth overall among countries receiving international aid, though actual funds arrive in small trickles.
Colomer wrote that Western governments should not hand over a blank check to Taliban leaders. International funding must be used to demand an easing of restrictions on women and children.
The 2021 withdrawal from Kabul
The current regime came to power after Taliban fighters entered Kabul on August 15, 2021, taking the capital city without firing a bullet.
The last American military personnel departed the country on August 30, 2021. The departure concluded a 20-year US military intervention launched after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
The chaotic withdrawal saw thousands of Afghans attempt to flee at Kabul airport. Desperate citizens clung to the landing gear of departing American military aircraft as the Taliban took control.
The collapse of the Western-backed government and the return of Taliban rule marked the end of the longest war in United States history, shaping the presidential terms of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
