A new research report titled “Women’s Access to Justice in Afghanistan,” prepared in collaboration with University of Toronto, finds that 95% of women in Afghanistan distrust the current judicial system and are unwilling to pursue their cases through the courts. According to the report, 65% of women who have approached courts reported negative experiences. Additionally, 81% of respondents said the justice system has undergone significant changes since 2021, while 91% believe that the removal of female legal professionals has had a negative impact on judicial processes. The study states that the systematic exclusion of women from the justice system has contributed to increased violence, psychological harm, and growing social despair. During the research forum, legal and academic experts emphasized that judicial mechanisms in Afghanistan have weakened, leading to increased impunity in certain cases. Participants also called for greater international attention, the strengthening of civil institutions, and further examination of “gender apartheid” as an issue of international legal concern.
