An Afghan diplomat stands up against Taliban rule by remaining in office and urging the West to take action against human rights violations.

Upon the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan on Aug. 15, 2021, Afghan Ambassador to Austria Manizha Bakhtari was confronted with a significant challenge. She had to decide whether to remain loyal to the previous government while representing it from her position in Vienna or to forsake her title and role.

Bakhtari told Planet Chronicle Digital that his team and he were in a state of shock after a few days of contemplation, and they decided to continue as the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, even though the Taliban now calls the country the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Bakhtari is the only female ambassador who has remained committed to her role for over two years, working with a small team from a Vienna office. She helps diaspora Afghans with their consular needs and travels to conferences and meetings with world leaders to discuss the ongoing tragedies in Afghanistan. Her top priority is the Taliban's treatment of Afghan women.

"Five years ago, we had numerous women in our parliament, government, and civil society organizations. However, now, a woman cannot exercise her rights," Bakhtari stated. She pointed out that the Taliban's "violations and discriminatory measures" against women have intensified in recent months. Following the closure of domestic violence shelters in 2021, Afghanistan's rulers have started imprisoning women to safeguard them from gender-based violence.

The Taliban have recently arrested young girls and women who disobeyed their rulings about proper dress codes, specifically targeting women in areas populated predominantly by members of Tajik and Hazara minority groups. This has been accompanied by the stricter enforcement of laws governing travel without a male escort and the mass layoffs of 600 women at two Afghan manufacturing plants.

Over 100 edicts and directives have been issued, limiting women's freedoms, restricting their access to education beyond the sixth grade, and preventing them from freely moving about, accessing public services, and holding diverse jobs.

Bakhtari is calling on the West to recognize the societal impact of the Taliban's misogyny beyond their rulings. The ambassador pointed out that human trafficking has increased, particularly among women-led families trying to flee the country due to Taliban restrictions. Bakhtari shared that some women have been sexually assaulted while being transported to their destinations.

The State Department's 2023 report on trafficking in persons in Afghanistan confirms Bakhtari's concerns. The report states that some intermediaries and employers force Afghans into labor or sex trafficking, while Afghan women and girls are exploited into sex trafficking and domestic servitude after being sold in neighboring countries or within Afghanistan. Although the prior Afghan government had numerous laws and penalties for various trafficking offenses, the Taliban did not report any law enforcement efforts to combat human trafficking.

Despite Hibatullah Akhundzada's prohibition, the Taliban continues to force underage girls into marriage, according to a report from human rights organization Rawadari.

In a climate of economic hardship, Afghan girls who lack education or job prospects are still valuable due to the high dowry prices they command. A recent Washington Post opinion piece reported that in a single settlement in Herat province, 40% of surveyed families had either sold their young daughters into marriage or were waiting for buyers. Although the Taliban have denied these findings, author Stephanie Sinclair warns that life will soon be a "nightmare" for child brides who are often subjected to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.

Bakhtari observed that the loss of employment, social access, education, and freedom have resulted in "severe mental health issues," including "reports of depression and suicide, particularly among young girls." The Taliban reported that 360 suicides occurred in Afghanistan in 2022. In contrast, Rawadari discovered that in Badakhshan, one of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, 35 children had committed suicide between August 2021 and October 2023.

Bakhtari believes that the Taliban's actions "constitute a grave form of gender apartheid." She has joined Afghan women and women's rights advocates in advocating for gender apartheid to be included in a United Nations draft treaty concerning crimes against humanity. "Only by putting a label on these atrocities will we be able to mobilize real actions against the perpetrators," Bakhtari explained.

Current international reactions to the human rights disaster underway in Afghanistan frustrate Bakhtari.

The exclusion of Afghan women from international discussions about the future of Afghanistan is a form of violence against women, according to Bakhtari. Similarly, suggestions that the Taliban have achieved enduring peace in Afghanistan are misguided, as peace does not mean the absence of war, but rather justice and equality for all in the country.

The ambassador emphasized that even if the Taliban were to change and modernize, it would take at least 20 years to rebuild the progress that Afghan women have lost due to generational setbacks.

Bakhtari argues that some Western leaders are hesitant to criticize the Taliban's rulings on women because they believe these policies reflect the cultural norms of the Afghan people. However, Bakhtari acknowledges that there are still some Afghans, particularly in rural areas, who do not value education for girls and expect women to wear the burka.

The ambassador showcased family photos to promote a more inclusive Afghan culture. She displayed images of her mother and mother-in-law graduating from college in the 1970s, both without head coverings. Another photo depicted her parents on their wedding day. Her father wore a western suit with slicked-back hair, while her mother wore a form-fitting dress with a beehive hairdo.

Bakhtari stated that these are illustrations of how Afghan society functions.