KABUL: At least 231 cases involving the killing or suspected killing of women have been documented across 10 provinces of Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, according to a joint investigation by The Guardian and Zan Times.
The investigation, published on Friday, stressed that the figure does not represent the nationwide total but only cases journalists were able to document and examine.
Of the 231 deaths, 53 were officially classified as suicides. However, relatives or witnesses in several cases said the women had previously experienced domestic violence.
Jawzjan recorded the highest number with 36 cases, followed by Herat with 32, Badakhshan with 28 and Ghazni with 26. Victims ranged in age from five to 65.
Limited legal protection
The investigation found that 165 victims were housewives without independent incomes, potentially limiting their ability to leave abusive relationships or seek legal remedies.
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Most deaths occurred inside victims’ homes, while reports of suspects being arrested were identified in only 58 cases.
The report highlighted changes to Afghanistan’s legal and institutional system since the Taliban takeover, including the abolition of the Attorney General’s Office and dismantling of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and specialised institutions dealing with violence against women.
Around 250 female judges were also removed from their positions, according to the investigation.
Zan Times journalists collected information on 174 cases from local media reports and directly documented another 57.
Reporters said fear prevented many families from speaking openly, while journalists attempting to investigate some cases faced threats.
The investigation said the actual number of women killed could be considerably higher because Afghanistan lacks comprehensive official statistics and access to information remains limited.
