Taliban takeover.9 The attack on a ShiaHazara mosque in western Herat province
on 29 April, 2024 was one of its kind that
killed six people, including a child. While
taking responsibility for the terrorist
attack, ISKP had previously announced
to have conducted a “kill them wherever
you find them” campaign against infidels
(Hazaras).10
The condition for the country’s already
dwindling non-Muslim minorities, such as
Hindus and Sikhs, has also deteriorated
since 2021. These tiny communities have
faced constant attacks and harassment
from both the Taliban and ISKP. The
harassment of Sikhs at their central temple
(place of worship) in Kabul by the Taliban in
late 2021 highlights the vulnerability of this
small minority.11 In the 1980s, Afghanistan
was home to over 100,000 Hindus and
Sikhs. However, due to years of conflict,
their numbers have drastically dwindled,
and with the Taliban now in power, only
a few families, primarily men, remain in
the country to safeguard their temples.
Tragically, Afghanistan’s last-known Jew
also fled the country soon after the Taliban
regained power.12
Against
this
backdrop,
this
study
underscores the importance of a
holistic approach to effectively support
Afghanistan’s HRDs, both inside and
outside the country. This approach should
not only help them to adapt to their
evolving circumstances, but also ensure
they have the capacity to continue their
9
The Diplomat, Gul Hassan Mohammadi.,
‘The Plight of Hazaras under the Taliban Government’,
24 January, 2024, https://shorturl.at/orzIg
Human Rights Watch, Fereshta Abbasi.,
10
‘Attacks Target Afghanistan’s Hazaras: Inadequate Protection Provided for Community Long at Risk’, 30 April,
2024, https://shorturl.at/ip5xO
European Union Agency for Asylum, “Af11
ghanistan: Hindus and Sikhs,” May 2024, https://shorturl.
at/6Mw8M
Freshta Negah and Abubakar Siddique,
12
“Forced To Dress Like a Muslim: Taliban Imposes Restrictions on Afghanistan’s Sikh, Hindu Minorities,” 22
August 2023, https://shorturl.at/PjY15
human rights work, despite the myriad
challenges they face. This research put
great emphasis on data collection with
an aim to provide a thorough situational
analysis of Afghanistan’s HRDs, along
with their existing and emerging needs to
navigate an effective sustainable support
mechanism. A key aspect of the data
collection was gathering insights directly
from Afghanistan’s HRDs based in transits
and countries in Europe, as well as those
in Canada, and United States of America
(USA) through interviews and focus group
sessions.
In addition to HRDs, a considerable
number of donor representatives and
international human rights organisations
(INGOs) were also part of the interviews
and focus group sessions, to provide
fresh inputs on the existing challenges of
Afghanistan’s HRDs and the possibilities
for future support. Parallel to that, an
extensive body of literature, combining
relevant research work, policy and reports
have also been reviewed to ensure a
thorough understanding of the situation. It
is worth mentioning that interviews were
conducted between April and July 2024,
while a one-day focus group session took
place on 21 June of the same year.
Research Objectives
The overall objective of this research is to
establish a baseline knowledge related to
the unfolding human rights situation in
Afghanistan, with a view to mobilise and
enhance possible support for the HRDs,
particularly those in exile, seeking ways for
long-term venues to continue their human
rights work. More specifically, this study
intends to establish the key needs of and
challenges faced by Afghanistan’s HRDs
inside the country and in exile, and provide
practical recommendations to enhance
the relevance and effectiveness of support
offered to them by various international
stakeholders.
7