United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned this week that Afghanistan continues to face the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today, with a two-day summit in Doha ending without formal recognition of the Taliban government that has ruled the country since August 2021. Since their return to power, the Taliban have cracked down on women’s rights, including restricting access to education and banning women from working with international aid groups. Poverty has skyrocketed in Afghanistan as years of conflict, corruption and international sanctions have battered the economy. We speak with Farzana Elham Kochai, a women’s rights activist who was elected to the Afghan Parliament in 2019 before fleeing the country for safety, and Jumana Abo Oxa, who works with the Greek refugee project Elpida Home helping Afghan women lawmakers find refuge in other countries.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban has shut down a women-run radio station for broadcasting songs and music during the month of Ramadan. Sadai Banowan, which means “women’s voice” in Dari, was the only station led by women, founded a decade ago. It’s the latest rights attack from the Taliban as women and girls have also been banned from education beyond the sixth grade and most jobs, with the United Nations warning the growing discrimination and systemic violence may amount to gender persecution — a crime against humanity.

Professor Lisa Davis, CUNY School of Law, addresses this very complex issue. How can the International Community pursue justice? Full tittle: Reimagining Justice for Gender-Based Crimes at the Margins: New Legal Strategies for Prosecuting ISIS Crimes Against Women and LGBTIQ Persons.