YDS 2021 in Review

D O M E S T I C I M P L I C A T I O N S
The rise of the Taliban puts two groups under severe threat; ethnic minorities and
women. Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, lamented the
Taliban's killing and torture of women and minorities, stating that "the cold-blooded
brutality of these killings is a reminder of the Taliban's past record, and a horrifying
indicator of what Taliban rule may bring. Ethnic and religious minorities are at grave
risk, along with human rights defenders, journalists, and professionals."
The Hazara ethnic group are the most targeted minority in Afghanistan today. In the
19th century, the Hazaras comprised 67 per cent of Afghanistan’s population.
Following waves of ethnic violence over the past century, they now only comprise
between 10 and 20 per cent of the population. The majority of Hazaras are Shia
Muslims and were viewed during the 19th century as an existential threat to the
Sunni minority. The Emir of Afghanistan, Pashtun tribal leader Amir Abdur Rahman
Khan, ordered mass killings of Hazaras, resulting in the death of over 50 per cent of
the Hazara population. Following the Soviet departure from Afghanistan in 1989, the
Taliban once again went after the Hazaras, massacring them in large numbers.
Following the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021, the group once again has upped its
offensive against the Shia minority group, torturing and killing them on multiple
occasions. The real number of Taliban killings remains unclear since the Afghan
media is under direct control of the Taliban, and international agencies have found
no grounds to conduct their work under Taliban rule.
Women have also witnessed excessive levels of repression by the Taliban
government. Women have been instructed to adopt proper Sharia attire in public
places and not leave their houses without male guardians. This ignited the
worldwide internet campaign #donottouchmyclothes, where Afghan women
refused to give up their ethnic attire and follow the Taliban system of clothing.
Educational institutions have also been told to conduct schooling on a segregated
basis, where men and women sit in separate sections of the room divided by a
screen. Due to the Taliban's repressive policies and Afghanistan's economic decline,
many women have also lost their jobs. Many families are being forced to sell their
young children in open markets to local bidders, a clear case of child trafficking.
I N T E R N A T I O N A L I M P L I C A T I O N S
Following the Taliban's rise to power, China was one of the first countries to offer
significant financial assistance to Afghanistan. This is because Afghanistan is a
country of great strategic interest for China. Afghanistan is home to rare minerals
valued upwards of $US 1 trillion. These minerals are of great value for China due to
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