Amnesty International conducted a wide-ranging consultation with more than 150 women in Afghanistan and in exile — including lawyers, politicians, journalists, teachers and athletes — to mark the three-year anniversary of the Taliban’s shock return to power in 2021.

More than 20 Afghan women human rights defenders in Afghanistan told Amnesty that they have lost agency in every aspect of their lives. After three years under Taliban rule they all said they felt they were regarded as “no-one” with limited opportunities for employment or for making an economic or cultural contribution.

Ahmad Ahmadi, a former lawyer now living in exile in Europe, said: “The Taliban announced that there is no need for the participation of lawyers during trials. They do not believe in justice systems but rely heavily on their interpretation of Shariah law led by religious scholars from madrasas (Islamic schools) with no formal legal education.”

Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International’s South Asia regional campaigner, said: “Three years on, the absolute absence of any concrete measures in addressing the human rights catastrophe in Afghanistan is a source of shame for the world.

“Innumerable statements and meetings later, the world is still wringing its hands as the Taliban continue violating human rights and undoing twenty years of hard work in every sphere of public and private life.”

Amnesty is calling on UK prime minister Keir Starmer to make Afghanistan a foreign policy priority, and demanding the UK works with the international community to ensure that women’s rights are protected in Afghanistan.