After a particularly violent beating at the hands of her husband, Sohaila,* 38, was forced out onto the streets of Kabul, where she braved the elements through the night while waiting for her parents to wake up and shelter her. No sooner did her father let her in, than did she find herself being hauled off to the police station for questioning. She now faces trial before a Taliban court following accusations by her abusive husband that she abandoned her home.

“Since the third day of my marriage, without any reason, my husband subjected me to merciless beatings, even hitting me in the head,” Sohaila told me, her voice carrying the weight of the nine years of brutality she has endured since her wedding day.

But what compelled Sohaila to endure such abuse? “Daily he would hurl false accusations at me before beating me again and again. I endured it all for the sake of my children and family,” she said of the painful trade-off she made to protect her loved ones.

I spoke with Sohaila as the international community marked the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, between November 25 to December 10. As human rights advocates around the globe mark the opportunity to shed light on gender-based violence, Afghanistan’s history of violence against women remains deeply entrenched. The societal interpretation of Islamic laws and traditional culture empowers men to perpetuate laws and customs that subject women to systemic oppression.

Another woman I spoke with, Roya, managed to find freedom only after fleeing to the US.

“The first time I saw him was the day we got engaged. I was only 17, and he was much older. But he was tall, handsome enough, and he came from a prestigious family. And he had a job with the Afghan military,” she said.

Immediately, Roya found herself subjected to frequent fits of violence. Rather than attempting to blame his rage on her, Roya’s husband readily admitted the beatings were his way of coping with pressure at work.

“On days when frustration gnawed at him from the outside world, he felt he was entitled to release it upon me at home. Instead of seeking understanding, I was instructed to appreciate this outlet for his frustrations,” she recalled, lamenting that the pattern echoed a broader cultural narrative in Afghanistan that women are essentially domestic slaves — “the child-producing machines, the victims of the men who wield societal privilege.”

Roya’s desire to pursue an education, and to live a life defined by more than subservience and fertility, alienated her from her husband and her family but ultimately helped her make her way to the US with her sons. Once there, she filed for divorce from her husband. “My motivation transcended personal grievances; I never wanted my boys to bear witness to the abuse of their father or grow up thinking it was acceptable to mistreat women. This became the primary impetus for my divorce – it was no longer just about me. I broke free, and today, against all odds, I am living my best life, embracing the opportunities that freedom and equality afford,” she said.

While Roya’s story finds a resolute and happy ending, she is acutely aware that not all Afghan women have the same opportunity.

In recent years, NGOs have worked tirelessly to advance women’s rights and gender equality in Afghanistan, achieving notable progress in urban areas. The younger generation, more aware of their rights, refuses to tolerate mistreatment.

The Taliban’s ascent to power in 2021 dealt a severe blow to human and women’s rights organizations, leading to the dissolution of hard-won gains. The shift from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice marked a regressive step, crushing the hopes of millions of women.

The regime’s edicts systematically undermine women’s rights, violating numerous articles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The current situation in Afghanistan not only constitutes severe gender-based violence but must also be recognized as gender apartheid.

As women in Afghanistan endure unthinkable challenges, the global call for their recognition and support echoes louder. Every Afghan woman, like any other woman on Earth, deserves to live in a safe and happy environment free from violence and oppression.

The names in this article have been changed for the interviewees’ protection. This commentary was written by an Afghan legal scholar whose identity cannot currently be revealed due to threats to their security.