Afghanistan: Taliban directives and decrees affecting human rights and humanitarian actors

Since taking over in August 2021, the Interim Taliban Authority (ITA) has issued numerous decrees and directives infringing on human rights. These decrees are affecting education work, dress codes, appearances, mobility, and leisure, especially for women in Afghanistan. Only a few measures protect human rights, such as the decrees on the marriage rights of women and widows, as well as the prevention of torture and regulation of pre-trial detention. ITA decisions have strongly affected the daily lives of Afghans, the operating environment for humanitarian responders, and the modalities of aid delivery. As a result, the directives have provoked widespread condemnation.