CCMW Condemns Taliban Penal Code and Its Threat to Women and Girls in Afghanistan

Friday February 27th, 2026

The Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) is deeply concerned by reports of the Taliban’s new penal code in Afghanistan and the grave danger it poses to women and girls.

Any law that permits or normalizes violence against women, under any condition, is a direct violation of fundamental human rights and human dignity. The reported provisions that allow physical punishment within families, restrict women’s movement, and entrench unequal systems of justice represent a devastating step backward for gender equality and the safety of women and girls. 

We also recognize that Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis has been deepened by economic collapse, restrictions on banking systems, and international sanctions, and forced returns of Afghan nationals from neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Iran. These conditions disproportionately affect women and children, who are often the first to lose access to food, healthcare, education, and safety when institutions weaken.

CCMW stands firmly against all forms of gender-based violence. Violence in the home is not a private matter, it is a human rights issue. No woman or girl should have to fear harm, coercion, or punishment for simply living her life.

As an organization committed to equity, justice, and the wellbeing of Muslim women in Canada and globally, we call on the international community to take meaningful action to protect the rights and safety of Afghan women and girls. Responses should prioritize humanitarian access, protection mechanisms, and support for education, health services, and safe spaces for women and girls, while ensuring that political measures do not further isolate or punish the Afghan population.

We pray for a world in which every woman and girl can live free from violence, fear, and discrimination. We remain steadfast in our commitment to challenging gender-based violence wherever it occurs.