In a passionate call for justice, a group of Hazara Afghans and their allies gathered at Nathan Phillips Square on January 28, 2024, to protest against the ongoing atrocities committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. 

The rally, entitled “No to the Taliban: Call to Action Against Hazara Genocide and Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan” was organized by a grassroots network of local advocates, and aimed to shed light on the alarming situation faced by Hazara women who have become targets for kidnapping, violence and widespread repression by the Taliban.

Says Shima Karimi, a Hazara women’s rights advocate in Toronto:

“When the Taliban took over, everything changed. I was forced to leave my university and job and lived in constant fear of being kidnapped. At the time, I was pursuing my master’s degree at a private university while working with the transport minister. I was also involved with many humanitarian organizations advocating for women’s rights.”

Shaima is one of the many women in Afghanistan who were seen on television trying to board a US military plane at the airport to escape the tyranny of the Taliban regime. She says, “That day, I lost many of my friends and relatives, and many women were abducted by the Taliban. It was a moment that I felt was the end of my life and the end of Hazara women.”

Shaima managed to escape from Afghanistan and finally made her way to Canada. She is now actively advocating for women’s rights in Afghanistan and Canada, volunteering with the Hazara Women Organization.

Halima Bahman, one of the leaders of the protest and co-founder of Hazara Women Organization, expressed deep concern over the plight of Hazara women and girls in Afghanistan. She says:

"At this very moment, Hazara women and girls are being kidnapped by the Taliban, seized from the streets under the excuse of not wearing proper hijabs. They are prevented from attending school and university, forced to hide in the shadows of their homes."

The protest was prompted by the escalating atrocities committed by the Taliban against the Hazara people, which the community, along with various academic, political and humanitarian organizations, have labeled as a genocide. Numerous Hazara women participated in the rally, alongside their allies and supporters, hoping to raise awareness and garner international support for immediate action against the Taliban.

Halima shared insights into the twisted ideology behind the Taliban's actions. "The Taliban's ideology included directives like 'If someone is an infidel, kill the man and claim the woman.' Their definition of 'infidel' included everyone who followed Shia Islam, the faith of most Hazaras, leading to the widespread abduction of women across Hazara communities," adds Halima.

She further emphasized the brutal nature of the Taliban's tactics, stating, "They targeted anyone within their reach, declaring that men aged seven to 70 should be killed. Hazara men were killed, and women went into hiding." Halima adds.

The situation for Hazara women has significantly worsened since the Taliban seized control in mid-August 2021. Basic rights have been denied, with women and girls banned from attending school and going to work. Kidnapping, forced marriage, rape and killing have become disturbingly common.