Women’s rights restricted in Afghanistan

Fatima Safyan Khan

Under the Taliban regime, women in Afghanistan have seen their rights and freedoms stripped away. The Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 1996 and imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law on the country. Women were not allowed to work or attend school, they were forced to wear the burqa and were not allowed to leave their homes without a male guardian.

The Taliban’s treatment of women has been widely criticized by the international community. In 2001, after the 9/11 attacks in the United States, a US-led coalition toppled the Taliban government and establish a democratic government. This gave Afghan women hope for a better future.

However, with the recent return of the Taliban regime, many women in Afghanistan fear that they will once again lose their rights and freedoms. The Taliban have pledged to respect women’s rights, but their track record in the past suggests otherwise.

Under Taliban rule, women are banned from working outside the home. They are also not allowed to attend school or university. The Taliban claimed that this is to protect women’s modesty and prevent them from being corrupted by Western influences.

Nigar lives in Kabul, Afghanistan. She used to work as a journalist before the Taliban’s government now deprived her of her rights like other women in Afghanistan. She said that the Taliban government has brought a positive change in Afghanistan, like the municipality is quite active, and roads and other security changes have made civilians complacent. On the other hand, the worst part of Taliban’s government is to kept deprive women of their rights. They are limited only to their domestic duties. Women are not allowed to get an education, to go outside to the parks or any public gatherings also they are banned to do any job.

She added, the Taliban also enforced strict dress codes for women. They are required to wear a burqa, a full-body veil that covered them from head to toe and are not allowed to wear any makeup or jewellery.

In the Taliban’s view, women are seen as inferior to men and not allowed to participate in public life. Women are not allowed to vote or hold political office and also prohibit to attend public gatherings.

The Taliban’s treatment of women has been widely criticized by human rights organizations and governments around the world. However, the Taliban have shown no signs of changing their views on women’s rights.

As Afghanistan once again falls under Taliban rule, the future of women’s rights in the country is uncertain. Many fear that the gains made by women in the past two decades will be lost, and they will once again be forced to live in oppression and discrimination.

It is up to the international community to continue to pressure the Taliban to respect women’s rights and freedoms. The Taliban must be held accountable for any human rights abuses, including their treatment of women. Only when women in Afghanistan are allowed to live free and equal lives the country truly move forward.