Afghanistan - A Female Hell on Earth

Afghan women, as a group, I think their suffering has been equaled by very few other groups in recent world history. ~ Khaled Hosseini

Seeing the Afghan women in their burqas, it's easy to say, "Well, they're not as fully aware as I am, so why do I have to worry so much about their plight?" But that's a misunderstanding. They are brutally aware of their station. ~ Eliza Griswold

Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride price and child marriage, and to enforce women to be involved in school. Every time, the reaction from the traditionalists was one of contempt and scorn and at times outright rebellion. I think the emancipation of women in Afghanistan has to come from inside, through Afghans themselves, gradually, over time. ~ Khaled Hosseini

There was a time when the women of Afghanistan - at least in Kabul - were out there. They were allowed to study, they were doctors and surgeons, walking free, wearing what they wanted. That was when it was under Soviet occupation. Then the United States starts funding the mujahideen. Reagan called them Afghanistan's "founding fathers." It reincarnates the idea of "jehad," virtually creates the Taliban. ~ Arundhati Roy

In 2021, the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan signaled a devastating rollback of women's rights, unraveling years of hard-won progress in education and employment. This abrupt shift forced Afghan women into a grim reality, where dreams of a better future were replaced by extreme restrictions and deepening poverty. The Taliban's repressive measures have systematically stripped women of their freedoms, plunging millions into a life of darkness and despair.

Upon seizing power, the Taliban initially vowed to allow women to study and work within a framework that they claimed would respect Islamic and Afghan traditions. However, the Taliban assurances quickly proved to be a lie. By September 2021, the Taliban barred girls from attending high schools, justifying the move with again with lies of a new education policy. This policy, purportedly aligned with their interpretation of Taliban principles, has yet to materialize, leaving over a million girls without access to education.

By December 2022, Afghan women were slapped with more draconian restrictions included colleges and universities, extinguishing the hopes of countless women aspiring to higher education and professional careers. The systematic discrimination of women from education has not only deprived Afghan women of immediate opportunities but has also erased their future prospects, effectively condemning them to lives of dependency and poverty.

The economic repercussions for women under the Taliban have been equally severe. Women have been prohibited from working in most professions, with minor exceptions in healthcare. This ban has severely hampered the delivery of aid, as women were essential in reaching vulnerable populations through non-governmental organizations. The closure of beauty salons in July 2023, which had provided employment for approximately 60,000 women, further stopped their economic autonomy and pulled many families deeper into poverty.

The Taliban defend their draconian policies as a return to traditional Afghan values. However, most Islamic scholars explain that sexist/gender measures contradict the teachings of Islam, which advocate for education and employment for all male and female-women and men. Despite the overwhelming discrimination, Afghan women have shown extraordinary resilience. They have organized protests, established underground schools, and continue to fight for their rights through social media platforms, online education, online activism, and persistent advocacy for their rights on international stages. The international community has widely condemned the Taliban’s actions with no change insight.

It's mind boggling to think of the amazing positive educational change that took place between 2001 to 2013, student enrollment in Afghanistan skyrocketed from 700,000 to over 10 million, with a notable increase in the number of girls attending school. Many Canadians continue to feel a moral obligation towards the Afghan people, particularly women and girls, who face discrimination under Taliban draconian male cultural rules. This has led to ongoing efforts to support Afghan women through various channels without placing Afghan women in danger of the Taliban Ministry of the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (MPVPV).

The Taliban’s return has pulled Afghan women into an era of fear and oppression, stripping them of their rights and confining them to their homes. Education, employment, speaking, and freedom of movement have been restricted by the Taliban.

To date, here are the ongoing discriminatory restrictions placed upon Afghan women:

1. Education:
   • Girls are banned from attending secondary schools and universities, effectively denying them education beyond the sixth grade.
2. Employment:
   • Women are prohibited from working in most sectors, including government positions, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies.
   • In December 2024, the Taliban announced the closure of all NGOs employing Afghan women, threatening to revoke their operational licenses if they failed to comply.
3. Public Spaces:
   • Women are banned from entering gyms, public baths, parks, and amusement parks.
4. Travel:
   • Women are forbidden from traveling more than 72 kilometers without a mahram (male guardian).
5. Dress Code:
   • A strict dress code mandates women to wear full-body coverings, such as a burqa or an abaya paired with a niqab, leaving only the eyes visible.
6. Freedom of Expression:
   • Women are prohibited from speaking loudly in public, reciting the Quran in front of other women, performing the call to prayer, or singing.
7. Access to Justice:
   • Women are barred from working as lawyers, judges, or in other positions within the justice system, severely limiting their access to legal recourse.
8. Healthcare:
   • Restrictions on women's mobility and the requirement of a male guardian have impeded their access to essential healthcare services.
9. Contraception:
   • The Taliban have restricted access to contraceptives, ordering pharmacies to remove birth control medicines and threatening midwives, viewing their use as a "western agenda."
10. Social Interaction:
    • Laws prohibit women from interacting with men to whom they are not related, further isolating them from society.

I have always been a father, that has always wanted to have daughters.

I know if I had daughters, they would be extremely successful in all aspects of life. Whatever they want to do, I would be in total support for them, I would be extremely proud of their success. And, I know society would be extremely proud of their success too.