Afghanistan

Advocacy for Afghanistan

What’s Happening? 

Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s seizure of power in August 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghans are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection both at home and abroad. Afghanistan has become the most serious women’s rights crisis in the world. The Taliban have issued more than 80 edicts restricting women’s rights, culminating in an extensive decree issued at the end of August 2024 prohibiting women’s voices from being heard in public. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Afghans evacuated to the United States after the fall of Kabul are living in legal limbo without a pathway to permanent residency.

What Must Be Done? 

World leaders and governments must act swiftly to ensure Afghans’ humanitarian needs are met. They must also clearly condemn the Taliban’s violations of women’s rights and human rights, ensuring that human rights are always part of the agenda when discussing the political future of Afghanistan. As long as the Taliban continue to flout international norms, the international community must not normalize the de facto authorities. U.S. Congress must also urgently pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, legislation to create a path to permanent residency for Afghans evacuated to the United States.