Under Taliban rule, access to justice for marginalised communities in Afghanistan had already largely collapsed. However, the Taliban’s new Criminal Procedure Code for Courts further entrenches discrimination against women and girls, ethnic and religious communities   other marginalised groups by formalising inequality before the law, removing protections to fair trials and introducing new arbitrary penalties for ordinary behaviours. In practice, the Code gives unchecked power to Taliban-appointed judges and other rule of law officials, enabling arbitrary arrests, coerced confessions, and cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments. In this worsening situation, the work of the Organisation for Social and Economic Development (OSED), in providing free legal aid is more important than ever. Between May and December 2025 alone OSED processed more than 5,000 legal protection cases, 

and its legal referral mechanism was accessed over 40,000 times, underscoring the scale of unmet legal need across the country. Capacity constraints meant that OSED was able to respond directly to one in five cases, channelling others through  referral pathways, including to partners within the Afghanistan Protection Cluster

This work formed part of OSED’s Global Refugee Forum pro bono pledge for 2025, reflecting a sustained commitment to protecting rights in an environment where demand far outstrips available resources. Through legal counselling, referrals, and protection support, OSED has helped women and families navigate urgent concerns related to safety, documentation, and access to services at a time when formal legal structures have largely ceased to function.OSED’s approach reflects its broader mission as a community-centred organisation rooted in justice and protection. By combining frontline legal support with strong referral networks, OSED continues to defend dignity and safeguard access to basic rights, even as barriers to justice increase.