In the dimly lit rooms of Afghanistan’s private gatherings, young boys adorned in makeup and brightly coloured women’s clothing are forced to dance for the amusement of powerful men.
But these boys – some as young as ten – are not merely dancers.
They are victims of Bacha Bazi, an ancient practice that often turns them into sex slaves for Afghanistan’s elite.
The barbaric tradition, whose name translates to ‘boy play’, has persisted for centuries, surviving empires, wars, and political upheavals.
Now, while Afghanistan’s current Taliban leadership claim to oppose it, Bacha Bazi continues as an open secret.
A 2024 UK government report found that boys remain at high risk of commercial sexual exploitation through Bacha Bazi, with the practice thriving under the same warlords and power brokers who have ruled Afghan society for generations.
Though some boys reportedly volunteer, many are sold into this life by their own impoverished families desperate to get by.
Others are quite simply abducted, including by police officers – the very people supposed to prevent Bacha Bazi from resurging.
Victims often face further violence upon returning home, and the suspension of international aid to Afghanistan since the Taliban returned in 2021 has left