Over the past year, the UN estimates more than one million girls have been barred from attending high school and nearly three million girls have been unable to complete their secondary education.
New Delhi: Ever since the Taliban gained control over Kabul on 15 August 2021, Afghan women have been forced to live their worst nightmares, with each passing day bringing a staggering regression in the enjoyment of their rights and freedoms. The Taliban’s on-going campaign of discrimination against women has highlighted the horrors of the group’s first stint in power between 1996 and 2001 where women were brutally repressed.
As a result, in almost every statement made by anybody of consequence, the main point of concern is often wrapped around the fate of Afghan women under the Taliban’s austere vision of Islam. But this is just lip service. The western nations—that once buoyed the bright, capable and determined women—have in fact, been the ones to abandon our Afghan sisters. This, therefore, brings us to the question—do Afghan women and girls not matter to the world?
THE ERASED ONES
Just last month, a suicide attacker detonated his explosives during a practice exam in the girls’ section of a packed room at Kaaj Education Institute—a private tutoring centre in the capital Kabul—leaving 60 plus killed and injured, with young women and girls comprising the vast majority of the victims.
And while the Taliban has so far not taken any responsibility of the attack, the truth is that such horrific incidents combined with targeted attacks against women have now become common in Afghanistan.
This is despite the group’s repeated assurances that the new government would be more liberal with their rules on women. But in the past 409 days of extremist rule, the world has seen that the leopard hasn’t really changed its colour. In fact, shortly after coming to power, the Taliban instructed girls—especially those belonging to 12 to 18 years of age—not to attend schools.
Thus, over the past year, the UN estimates more than one million girls have been barred from attending high school and nearly three million girls have been unable to complete their secondary education, according to the UNICEF.
The right to continue working has now been taken away and women have been ordered to be accompanied by a male chaperone, in a head to toe covering whenever they step out of their homes, effectively squeezing them out of public life, once again imprisoning them in their homes.
However, even inside the walls of their own homes, things have not been easy for Afghan women. By erasing women from the public sphere, the Taliban has also re-established a sense of patriarchy within the Afghan homes where men are the prime judge and jury. As a result, domination, violence, and assault against women are on the rise under the extremist rule.
Given this context, it is safe to say that the past year of the Taliban administration has led to a complete deterioration in the lives of Afghan women and girls, affecting all aspects of their human rights.
THE SILENT ONES
But even after losing their agency and grappling with uncertainties, women in Afghanistan have chosen not to remain silent. In fact, in the last one-year—at different points in time—Afghan women have been seen demonstrating against the Taliban’s brutal rule, chanting slogans including, “Security is our right. Education is our right. Stop genocide.”
Meanwhile, the Taliban—which has no tolerance at all for protests by women and girls—has been seen responding with violence, beating them, tear-gassing them and even opening shots at them to make them flee. Yet, united in their cause, the zeal of the Afghan women, even when their world is tumbling is perhaps, commendable.
And though one would expect those in power to help these Afghan women and show similar strength and resilience, have instead abandoned them.
Western nations in their words and deeds have encouraged educational pursuits, the notion of gender equality and empowerment of the Afghan women. But today—even after a year—these very nations have not only forgotten these women but have also lost a sense of collective moral imagination and their sense of duty towards them.
Lest we forget, lip service or small actions here and there will not really make a difference. It is true that the UN has restricted the travel of a few Taliban leaders, the US has imposed economic sanctions to put pressure on the Taliban for switching to a democratic government and frozen $7 billion of Afghan money in US banks. With these moves, the flow of international aid has essentially stopped for Afghanistan.
But in reality, we owe the Afghan women a great deal more compassion and assistance than they have been receiving. The entire international community therefore, needs to unite to call out the Taliban on its actions and brutalities against women. Additional humanitarian aid needs to be provided on the premise that women will be allowed to go to work, attend school and participate in politics.
And for the women, who face a direct threat to their lives, the western nations should expedite visas and ensure resettlement pathways to safe countries. Governments and not-for-profit groups around the globe should help women’s rights activists—still working in Afghanistan—by providing political backing as well as financial support. They could set up and fund online education and more secret in-person schools for women.
A lot more remains to be done than needs to be done to ensure the security as well enjoyment of rights and freedoms by the Afghan women who like any other women in the world have dreams for a better future.
CONCLUSION
As dark as the situation might look, the truth is that there is still hope. After all, these incredible Afghan women matter. Therefore, the world cannot and should not just sit back and watch them being erased.
Akanksha Khullar is an Assistant Manager at Invest India. Her work predominantly focuses on gender issues, particularly on understanding the women, peace and security agenda, and identifying how national, regional and international organisations contribute in shaping the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325. She tweets at @akankshakhullar.