Women in Afghanistan fully veiled under new rules. Image: Bloomberg
(The Post News)- It is August 2021. The whole world watches in horror as the Taliban regain their power over Kabul once more. Afghan women are drenched in fear.
The Taliban was first established after the Afghanistan war (1978-1992). Two years after the war, a group of former fighters allied with a madrasah and restrained a local warlord. This led to the pacification of nearby areas. The Taliban gathered many supporters due to their promise of security and religious intensity. Little did the citizens of Afghanistan know what truly awaited them.
It is the year 1996. For the first time, the Taliban seized Kabul and gained control over two-thirds of the country. For five years, they reigned callously. Their brutal, repressive rule against women first surfaced when they took away the right to education for young girls.
By the end of 2001, the Taliban fled after the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance entered Kabul and overthrew them. Sadly, two decades after being overthrown, the Taliban regained their status of power over Afghanistan.
What does this mean for Afghan women? Could their rights to education be in danger? A month after the Taliban took back control, they would receive their answer. The date marks 17 September 2021.
Many women have dreams of pursuing successful careers and contributing to society. Their dreams are shattered within hours. Secondary education for women has been banned. The start of their nightmares.
The Taliban follows a strict religious ideology, Deoband traditionalism, and conservative Pashtun social codes. It all boils down to a strict interpretation of Islamic law, with very little rights towards women.
What are the rules for women? It is mandatory for women to always cover their bodies in public, as to avoid “temptation.” A new rule approved in August states that a woman’s voice should not be heard singing, reciting, or reading aloud in public. This has raised concerns that women will be banned from speaking at all, rendering them completely voiceless.
Many historic figures have fought tooth and nail for women’s rights worldwide. Unfortunately, no one ever imagined that for a nation of women, it was all in vain. As long as the Taliban rule, Afghan women face a bleak and harrowing future.
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