Beth Williams
Dozens of Afghan women have been protesting for their rights to work and be educated following the Taliban’s return to power.
“it has been alleged that physical force was used against protesters”
Despite warnings from the group that such protests were considered illegal, women congregated in opposition to the announcement of an all-male government. Following demonstrations in the country’s capital of Kabul, as well as the Northern Province of Badakshan, it has been alleged that physical force was used against protesters as the Taliban attempted to disperse the crowds, with journalists covering the event reported to have been detained and beaten.
The New Government
The peaceful protests follow the Taliban’s announcement of its new cabinet almost a month after the Islamic group overthrew the Western-backed government.
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund has been named as its Prime Minister after serving as a foreign minister, and deputy Prime Minister in the Taliban’s previous government. A large majority of the 33 person, all-male cabinet features members of the 1996-2001 government.
All these members are under UN sanction for their role in that previous cabinet.
Since the announcement of the new government, the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs, an agency promoting the advancements of Women’s rights, has already been dissolved.
The non-existence of gender diversity within the parliament contradicts the group’s previous statement in which the Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Bradar promised to form an “inclusive government that represents all the people of Afghanistan”.
The government has also been told by the Taliban supreme leader to uphold Sharia law, Islam’s legal system. The country’s new government are yet to deny returning to physically violent punishments of that governing system, mounting fears that stonings and executions will return.
Their inauguration is set to take place on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Previous Taliban Rule
When the group were previously in power between 1996 and 2001, women were strictly governed under Sharia law and denied basic freedoms.
Under those laws, women were prevented from working, attending school over the age of 10 as well as from accessing healthcare from men. Unless accompanied by a male guardian, women were not allowed to leave their homes or travel on public modes of transport independently.
Women were also given a dress code in which they had to wear a burka in public from the age of 8. Any female, or whoever was considered an accomplice, caught disobeying any of the laws would be punished by violent beatings.
The Fears of Afghan Women
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan on the 15 August, the restrictive measures seen in the previous take over are being repeated, jeopardising the last 20 years of progress towards the safety and rights of the country’s women.
The reimplementation of Sharia law would deny women basic human rights under it’s restrictive laws.
The Taliban have already begun to remove women from their places of education and work.
“Taliban gunmen have also escorted female bank workers home”
An anonymous university student, months away from receiving her second degree, told The Guardian how she has hidden her ID and diplomas for fear of punishment from the Taliban.
“It was devastating. Why should we hide the things that we should be proud of? As a woman, I feel like I’m the victim of the political war that men started”.
Taliban gunmen have also escorted female bank workers home and explaining that their male relatives can take their place. Female participation in sports has been prohibited and as a result, Australia have cancelled their upcoming cricket match against the country’s male team.
Global Response
As of the 30 August, all foreign military personnel have left Afghanistan. They spent the preceding fortnight evacuating eligible foreign and afghan citizens by aircraft. Many world leaders have been condemned over their lack of action during this crisis as eligible evacuees had been left behind in the country due to the tight time-frame of the evacuation.
Many female advocacy groups have been voicing their concerns for the future of women in Afghanistan as well as pleading for donations. Melanne Vereer, the director for the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, has called on the US government to organize charter flights for Afghan women and activists who still remain in the country.
Dozens of women’s rights advocates, such as poet Amanda Gorman and actress Kate Winslet, have signed an open letter titled “Do not Abandon Afghan Women” also urging on Joe Biden’s administration to act quickly.
Malala Yousafzai, who herself was shot by the Taliban in 2012, took to Twitter to voice her support for the female protesters in Afghanistan after discussing the events with the country’s former president, Hamid Karzai.
Following initial protest, women from smaller towns in Afghanistan have gone on to stage protests of their own. With the Taliban essentially banning such protests, the women of Afghanistan have lost their right to speak freely. It is unlikely that this is the only sanctions that Afghan women will face in their future.
Featured image courtesy of ArmyAmber via Pixabay. Image licence can be found here. No changes or alterations have been made to this image.
Beth Williams
Originally from North Wales, Beth is a third year English and Journalism student at Cardiff University. As well as a contributor, Beth is the editor-in-chief of "Gair Rhydd", her university's newspaper. When she isn't writing, you'll find her reading, cooking or on a (very slow) run.