Background
In 2001, a U.S.-led military invasion of Afghanistan toppled the Taliban regime and sought to end decades of conflict and violence characterized by systematic and widespread violations of human rights and humanitarian law. While the 20-yearlong military intervention in the end did not bring lasting peace to the country, it did allow for a culture of human rights to take root and a strong and independent civil society to develop.
In 2002, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) was established to monitor and protect human rights in the country. In partnership with Afghan civil society organizations, AIHRC mapped gross human rights violations in the country. It also spearheaded national consultations on victim-centered approaches to pursuing accountability and led numerous initiatives to raise awareness among Afghans of their rights, amplify the voices of victims of human rights abuses, and foster public dialogue on how to build a sustainable peace.
The various processes put in place to reconstruct the country—including disarmament efforts, democratic elections, and legal reforms—ultimately failed to uphold minimum levels of accountability. Many individuals with questionable human rights records found their way back to power. An oppressive regime was replaced by a corrupted system. Many Afghans still struggled with poverty and inequality, in addition the consequences of massive human rights violations.
In 2010, facing a mounting insurgency, the Afghan government began to signal that it intended to negotiate with the Taliban and other insurgent groups. The change in U.S. leadership in 2016 brought with it a reordering of U.S. priorities and foreign policy goals in Afghanistan. The United States soon after entered into negotiations with the Taliban, and in February 2020 the two parties signed the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan in Doha. The Afghan government and the Taliban subsequently held peace talks. However, these talks could not save the country from the impending chaos that followed the quick withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces and the Taliban’s immediate takeover in August 2021.
Since then, the human rights situation in Afghanistan has steadily worsened. Incidents of repression and violence have increased, especially against women and girls who now find themselves deprived of basic rights as well as religious minorities who have long been persecuted in the country and region. An emboldened Islamic State in Khorasan Province further threatens security and human rights in Afghanistan.