Report on Violations of Sustainable Development Goals in Afghanistan

Executive Summary

Recent actions by the Taliban in Afghanistan, specifically the arrest of dozens of women and girls since July 16 for alleged violations of dress codes, represent a significant regression in the nation’s progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These measures constitute a systematic assault on female autonomy and deepen the exclusion of women from public life. This report analyzes these events through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting severe violations of SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), with cascading negative impacts on several other goals.

Analysis of SDG Violations

SDG 5: Gender Equality

The Taliban’s policies and enforcement actions are in direct contravention of the core principles of SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

• Systematic Discrimination (Target 5.1): The August 2024 “vice and virtue” decree, mandating full body and face coverings, institutionalizes discrimination against women. The subsequent arrests for “bad hijab” are a direct enforcement of these discriminatory rules.
• Violence Against Women (Target 5.2): The arrests and detentions inflict both physical and psychological violence, creating a climate of fear and intimidation intended to enforce total obedience and erase female autonomy.
• Exclusion from Public Life (Target 5.5): These actions are part of a broader strategy to eliminate women from public view and participation. This systematic exclusion from employment, education, and freedom of movement prevents women from contributing to and benefiting from public, economic, and political life.
• Gender Apartheid: The cumulative effect of these policies has been characterized by UN experts and Afghan women’s rights defenders as “gender apartheid,” representing the most extreme form of institutionalized gender-based discrimination and a complete failure to uphold SDG 5.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The Taliban’s governance framework undermines the establishment of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies as envisioned by SDG 16.

• Erosion of the Rule of Law (Target 16.3): The arbitrary arrests based on vaguely defined dress code violations demonstrate a collapse of the rule of law and deny women equal access to justice.
• Enforcement of Discriminatory Policies (Target 16.B): The Taliban regime actively promotes and enforces discriminatory decrees, which is the antithesis of the non-discriminatory laws and policies required for sustainable development.
• State-Sanctioned Violence (Target 16.1): The actions of the de facto authorities constitute a form of violence against a segment of the population, undermining peace and security for women and girls.

Interconnected SDG Impacts

The violations of SDG 5 and 16 have created severe setbacks for other critical development goals.

1. SDG 4 (Quality Education): The exclusion of women and girls from educational institutions bars them from lifelong learning opportunities, crippling human capital development.
2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Denying women access to employment removes a significant portion of the potential workforce, hindering economic growth and denying women economic empowerment.
3. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The constant fear, oppression, and psychological violence have a detrimental impact on the mental and physical well-being of women and girls.
4. SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): The Taliban’s policies systematically entrench and deepen gender-based inequalities, directly opposing the goal of reducing inequality within and among countries.

International Response and Recommendations

Current International Stance

The international community’s response to the escalating abuses has been insufficient to protect the rights of Afghan women and uphold global commitments to the SDGs.

• A general lack of decisive, unified action has been observed.
• Certain diplomatic actions, such as Russia’s formal recognition of the Taliban, risk normalizing the regime’s violations and undermining international efforts to promote human rights.

Recommendations for Upholding the SDGs

To address these severe violations and reaffirm commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, the international community should take concrete steps.

• Publicly and unequivocally condemn the systematic violation of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
• Provide robust support for the call from Afghan women to have gender apartheid recognized as an international crime, thereby strengthening the framework of international justice in line with SDG 16.
• Increase political and financial support for Afghan women’s rights defenders and civil society organizations working to advance the SDGs on the ground.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the most central SDG, as the article focuses entirely on the systematic discrimination and violation of rights faced by women and girls in Afghanistan, including restrictions on their dress, movement, and autonomy, which the article describes as “gender apartheid.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article highlights the creation and enforcement of profound inequalities based on gender. The Taliban’s decrees and actions are designed to “push women and girls ever further out of public life,” directly contradicting the goal of promoting social, economic, and political inclusion for all.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article discusses the arbitrary arrests of women and girls and the imposition of decrees that constitute “physical and psychological violence.” This points to a breakdown of the rule of law, a lack of access to justice for women, and the use of state authority to enforce discriminatory practices rather than protect citizens’ rights.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The article explicitly states that women are “excluded from… education” as part of the Taliban’s systematic effort to remove them from public life.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article directly mentions that women are “excluded from employment,” which denies them economic autonomy and participation in the country’s economic life.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article’s description of the “vice and virtue” decree and the concept of “gender apartheid” directly relates to this target.
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. The arrests and the “physical and psychological violence” imposed by the Taliban are clear examples of such violence.
   • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The article details the opposite, describing a systematic effort to “push women and girls ever further out of public life.”

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… sex. The article highlights the deliberate exclusion of women from public life, employment, and education.
   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The Taliban’s decrees are a prime example of the discriminatory policies this target aims to eliminate.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The “physical and psychological violence” inflicted on women is a direct concern of this target.
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The arbitrary arrests for “bad hijab” demonstrate a lack of rule of law and access to justice for women.
   • Target 16.B: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development. The article discusses the enforcement of highly discriminatory laws and policies against women.

4. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education. The article’s statement that women are “excluded from… education” shows a complete failure to meet this target.

5. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men. The exclusion of women from “employment” is a direct violation of this target.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Existence of Discriminatory Laws and Decrees

   The article explicitly mentions the August 2024 “vice and virtue” decree requiring women to cover their bodies. The presence or repeal of such decrees serves as a direct indicator for targets related to discrimination (5.1, 10.3, 16.B).

2. Number of Arbitrary Arrests

   The article states that “dozens of women and girls” have been arrested for dress code violations. The number of women and girls arrested or detained for such reasons is a quantifiable indicator of violence and lack of justice (Targets 5.2, 16.1, 16.3).

3. Female Participation in Public Life

   The article implies that women’s presence in public spaces, their ability to work, and their access to education are measures of their autonomy. Therefore, indicators would include the female labor force participation rate and female enrollment rates in education at all levels (Targets 4.5, 5.5, 8.5).

4. Freedom of Movement for Women

   The article notes that women are “forced indoors by being excluded from employment, education, and freedom of movement.” The extent to which women can move freely in public without fear of reprisal is an implied indicator of their autonomy and inclusion (Targets 5.2, 10.2).

Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hrw.org