Women | The European Parliament's Committee on Petitions will consider recognising gender apartheid in Afghanistan on 5 November in Brussels, Afghanistan International reports; the report has not yet been confirmed by other sources

ACW | October 21, 2026 — The European Parliament's Committee on Petitions has told former Afghan MP Baktash Siawash in a letter that it will consider recognising gender apartheid in Afghanistan on Thursday, 5 November, in Brussels, according to Afghanistan International.

Afghanistan International reported on Wednesday that the petition was referred to the committee after repeated campaigns by human rights activists. The outlet did not name the letter's signatory or give its date.

The report does not say whether the item will be taken up at a public committee meeting or in another format. This report has not yet been confirmed by other sources.

The Taliban have not yet responded to the report. According to Amu TV, the group says its policies reflect its interpretation of Islamic law.

Background: According to Amu TV, a petition titled "European Union: Recognize Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan and Designate the Taliban as a Terrorist Organization" was registered as No. 0778/2026 on 30 March 2026. A European Parliament letter dated 24 April referred it to the Committee on Petitions. Siawash had staged a sit-in outside the European Parliament in Brussels from 2 April.

Why it matters: Afghanistan International notes that the UN Human Rights Council and UN experts have described Taliban policies as systematic discrimination against women, and some experts regard them as gender apartheid. According to Amu TV, Afghanistan is the only country where girls are barred from secondary school and university.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Afghanistan International — European Parliament "is reviewing" request to recognise gender apartheid in Afghanistan; Amu TV — European Parliament takes up petition on 'gender apartheid' in Afghanistan

Photo: Amu TV