prologue
The year is 2023. You can’t blame anyone for thinking they might be on the apex of modernity and gender equality. Or, at least, somewhere near it.Regardless of objective belief, surely all Do women have basic, unanimously agreed upon rights? Girls can go to school. Women can go to work. Women can vote!
It may be easy to reach such a conclusion. While Western news dominates the world’s media, the last few years have been all about the pandemic. In addition, today’s media tends to have a lot of information overload and misinformation.behind Pada (veil) of such media sensationalism, not all Women have basic rights.
Yes, we hear about setbacks in women’s rights.with the overthrow of Law vs Wade and the death Iran’s Mercer Amini’s World Rebellion. we all end About the war in Afghanistan hijacked by the Taliban in 2021. However, the coverage is getting less and less every day. But Afghan women cannot go to school. Afghan women cannot work or go out without men.they are not yet struggle.
Let’s not forget.
Women’s Rights โ Background
Culture and society are closely related to the situation of Afghan women, but they are not to blame. In the 20th century, women around the world gained more and more basic rights. Afghan women also shared this joy. Women began to enter and graduate from university. They have taken positions of leadership and influence.In fact, Afghan women accept The right to vote one year in advance for women in the United States. By the 1960s, women were autonomy About clothes, finances and their lives. The new constitution has indeed strengthened this. Women’s rights coexisted with Afghanistan’s unique culture and majority Islam.
However, political turmoil and conflict have hampered this smooth progress. The 1970s brought the ideology of government overthrow, communist regimes and fundamentalist extremism. This culminated in 1996 with the rise of the Taliban and their occupation of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
The Taliban, an Islamic extremist group, ruled Afghanistan until 2001. islam sharia (Islamic law). Girls could no longer attend school. Women could not work.they couldn’t go out without it mahram (male chaperone).women had to forcibly wrap themselves burqa (clothes that cover the whole body).Any woman who objected received punishmentarbitrarily imprisoned, etc.
Despite the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001, the country remained in conflict. Strict sexist rules were no longer enforced, but women’s rights were put on the back burner. Afghan women suffered years of trauma. Trauma that transcends generations like a curse. The curse of being a woman. There were not enough resources and support for the women to heal. Their condition did not progress dramatically.
Then, in August 2021, the Taliban reoccupied Afghanistan.
The present era โ Taliban rules beyond 2021
Taliban law
At its first press conference, the Taliban promised Respect women’s rights within the boundaries of Islam. The world hoped and prayed that even the Taliban would come to accept the basic concept of gender equality.
But after almost a year and a half of Taliban rule, things look pretty bleak. Slowly and gradually, the Taliban are re-establishing old laws. Here are some important ones:
- September 2021: College classrooms are now gender-segregated
- March 2022: School closed for girls
- May 2022: Mandatory for women burqa
- December 2022: Women Banned out of college and working NGOs
reaction
Taliban laws restricting women’s liberty would and did have major consequences.
Women were confined to their homes and victims of gender-based violence were confined to locations of abuse. Women’s shelters can no longer operate, closeThere is little support for women due to the recent ban on women working in NGOs. Legal, psychological and financial assistance is available only through men. But women are not allowed to interact freely with men. When it comes to medical assistance, female doctors are not allowed to interact with male patients or colleagues. This leads to a shortage of female doctors and makes women medically powerless.
According to Amnesty International, child marriage rates are starting to rise as young girls are out of school. Families have no choice. they marry their daughters. These girls no longer have education or career prospects.
There is no Islamic law that prohibits women from receiving education. This is the general academic view. but, Koran, Allah Inspire humans to seek knowledge. Therefore, it is difficult to reconcile Islam with the prohibition of girls’ education. As for other laws implemented by the Taliban, they also seem to be extreme interpretations. ShariahIn fact, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned Taliban measures against women. The OIC is the largest organization in a Muslim country and continues to operate in Afghanistan.
Way forward
The Afghan people deserve a life free from constant political conflict. They deserve to rule their country. Afghan women deserve independence, freedom and basic rights.
The situation in Afghanistan remains hopeless, but hope is not entirely lost. As outsiders, we can still provide the best possible support.
We need to raise the voice of Afghan women by providing a platform. Afghan women bravely share their lived experiences. All we can do is amplify their voices. Voices and stories have power.
You can also donate money or resources. Accepted by international organizations such as UN Women donation We support women in Afghanistan. Do thorough research and donate to trusted sources!
Last but not least, spread the word. Spread awareness. The more people are aware, the more they see the brave faces of Afghan women.
About the author
Rayar Ali is a lawyer in training and a staunch feminist. She blogs and creates social media content for us. She enjoys reading good books, having good conversations, and fighting the patriarchy.
Blog photo credit: Parwiz/Reuters via The New York Times
