**Taliban's Oppression of Women Faces International Court Challenge**

In a significant legal move, the Taliban government of Afghanistan is set to be brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its persistent violations of women's rights. The foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands announced their decision at the United Nations General Assembly, according to reports from the Guardian. These nations aim to hold Afghanistan accountable for violating the UN's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which Afghanistan had ratified back in 2003.

Since their return to power, the Taliban have enacted numerous policies that severely restrict the rights and freedoms of women in Afghanistan. These actions have included bans on higher education and most employment opportunities for women. Recently, an edict prohibited women from showing their faces or speaking publicly. These blatant violations are expected to be central to the case at the ICJ, potentially complicating efforts by other countries to normalize relations with Afghanistan amidst ongoing abuses.

Advocates for Afghan women have long been concerned that their plight is being sidelined in international diplomatic efforts. Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch highlighted earlier this year that the ICJ offers a concrete avenue to scrutinize Taliban abuses. She emphasized that Afghan women and girls deserve their day in court, and that the ICJ could be instrumental in addressing their grievances.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Taliban’s treatment of women, likening it to some of history’s most oppressive regimes. In addition to the severe restrictions imposed on women, men in Afghanistan are also facing new mandates under the Taliban's rule. Recent decrees require men to grow beards and prohibit them from looking at women they are not related to, measures that have prompted widespread resentment.

The harsh reality of life under the Taliban has led to regret among some Afghan men who now wish they had protested earlier against the repression of women. As one Kabul resident told the Washington Post, the strict enforcement of new rules has left many feeling powerless and humiliated.

During a recent speech at the UN, acclaimed actress Meryl Streep starkly illustrated the dire situation, declaring that "a squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan." This powerful statement adds to the growing international outcry against the Taliban’s systemic oppression of women and girls.