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The future of Afghan women is full of uncertainty.
When the Taliban first came to power more than 20 years ago, they carried out brutal acts such as beheading, stoning, and forced wearing of burqa on Afghan women. After the gang of militants were ousted, Afghan women made significant progress in their career development. They became ministers, mayors, judges, and police. Now their future is extremely uncertain.
Five Afghan women who have made achievements in their respective fields told the BBC their concerns about the future.
Struggle and sacrifice are inevitable
In most parts of the world, face-to-face interviews with senior officials by female journalists are not news.
But in view of the cruel history of the Taliban’s repression of women, when a senior Taliban official, Mawlawi Abdulhaq Hemad (Mawlawi Abdulhaq Hemad) agreed to accept the private media Tolo news anchor Beheshta Arghand (Beheshta Arghand) ) Many people were surprised during the interview.
Image source,Tolo News
This is the first time a Taliban leader walked into the live broadcast room and was interviewed by a female reporter.
The interview last Tuesday broke another tradition: this was the first time a Taliban leader did this in a television studio. Despite these obvious concessions, Arhand still has doubts.
“They said,’We don’t have any problems with Afghan women’s work. We support their work’. But I was scared.” She later told the BBC.
She said that the working environment and urban environment in Kabul have changed, and she no longer freely discusses controversial issues with guests. She chose her words carefully.
“In a month or two, they (the Taliban) will make some laws for us. I don’t think they will allow us to do what we want. They will make it difficult for us to be independent. Now they have no reaction, but we have to be careful. I Be very careful.”
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the organization ruled Afghanistan based on strict interpretations of Sharia law, banning television, music, and movies. In the years after they were driven away, dozens of television networks and more than 170 FM radio stations appeared in Afghanistan.
After the Taliban regained power, some TV channels stopped letting female anchors appear, and even replaced political programs with programs discussing Islamic theology.
No retaliation occurred, and many channels resumed normal programs.
At a recent press conference, the Taliban, which now rules more than 39 million people, even said that women will be allowed to work and study “within the framework of Islamic law.”
But on August 17, another news anchor, Khadija Amin, said on social media that the Taliban had suspended her and other female employees of the state-owned television company indefinitely.
Image source,BBC
Khadija Amin worried that it would be difficult to be an independent journalist under the Taliban.
In many parts of Afghanistan, militants prevent women from working. Some women told the BBC that they were afraid to work because of fear.
Arhand returned to work, and she believed that it was necessary to return to the news editorial department at a critical moment. “I said to myself, go back to work… This is an important moment for Afghan women.” On the way to the office, she was stopped by Taliban fighters. They asked her why she was traveling alone and why she was not asked by male relatives in accordance with Islamic law. Accompany.
“Our situation is not good. This is not a good thing for Afghan women. There must be struggle and sacrifice for the benefit of future generations.”
“Different from when I was in power last time”
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In many parts of rural Afghanistan, health services are minimal or non-existent.
A gynecologist who owns a private clinic and works in a hospital in Kabul told the BBC that her work and life were not disturbed by political turmoil.
“I will come to work in three days. The situation is normal.” The doctor, who asked not to be named, said that the Taliban has announced that female doctors can continue to work in hospitals and private clinics.
The doctor said that in some places, the Taliban are actively asking people to go back to work, but due to the atmosphere of fear, many people still do not go to work.
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Afghanistan now has more trained nurses, but people are worried about whether women can work.
“Many doctors and midwives did not come to the hospital because they were afraid and did not believe the Taliban’s announcement.”
In many parts of rural Afghanistan, health services are minimal or non-existent.
The country has taken measures to increase the number of nurses and midwives to help reduce maternal mortality. The UN Population Fund stated that all pregnant women and new mothers have “the right to receive life-saving midwifery and other maternal and newborn health services”.
As far as the current situation is concerned, the Kabul gynecologist is optimistic. On the way to the hospital, she saw that there were very few people on the street and many shops were still closed, but the Taliban did not stop her from asking for her clothes to be checked.
“This is not the same as when they ruled last time. Compared to the last time, things are a little better (this time).”
Image source,Farzhana Kochai
Farzhana Kochai is not sure whether the Taliban will allow women to serve in the new government.
“They never talk about women’s issues”
27% of the 250 seats in the Afghan parliament are reserved for women, and there are currently 69 women members of parliament.
But there are no women in the leadership of the Taliban, and it is unclear whether they will form an inclusive government.
“We don’t know their agenda. What we worry about is that they never talk about women’s issues.” Congressman Farzhana Kochai said.
She said that a government without women will not be regarded as a responsible government by the international and civil society.
Image source,Farzhana Kochai
Of the 250 seats in the Afghan parliament, 27% are reserved for women.
“Afghan women should not be excluded from society. We should continue our work and have a place in the government and where we want to work.”
But she is deeply disturbed by the dramatic changes she has witnessed, such as fewer women on the street, although she admits that some women are returning to work and school.
“Not all women are scared and keep themselves at home,” she said, “but women have changed socially, psychologically, and politically. Most of us are hiding. We can’t even be on social media. We can’t do our job, we can’t get out of the house. In Kabul, women are buying burqas in large quantities. On the TV screen, we miss the female figure. We miss them in other places.”
Even before the Taliban took over, Kochai faced threats from armed groups. Many female politicians who are critical of extremism are now hiding.
Zarifa Ghafari was appointed the youngest mayor of Afghanistan at the age of 26. She even said she was waiting for the Taliban to kill herself.
“I’m sitting here waiting for them to come. No one can help me or my family. I just sit with them and my husband. They will come to find people like me and kill me.” Zha Rifa told the British newspaper The Independent.
“I won’t believe them”
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Many people hope that the Taliban will not deprive girls of the right to go to school.
Pashtana Durrani, an Afghan teacher and human rights activist, said that what the Taliban says about women’s rights and their actual practices are different.
She told the BBC that she called for clarity on which women’s rights are acceptable to Islamic organizations. In the past, they forced women to wear burqas and did not approve of girls over the age of 10 going to school.
Dulani said that even though she was worried about her life, she still had to speak out. “I must fight today so that the next generation will not have to face these conflicts.”
Dulani said that the Taliban leadership’s attitude towards women’s rights is very vague, but the Taliban’s infantry has not been unexpected in the past few days.
“The girls in Herat cannot go to college; the girls in Kandahar are asked to go home, and their male relatives are asked to replace…their positions in the bank. So they (the Taliban) are moving from Different countries look for legitimacy in the hope that the international community will accept it as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, but at the same time, what have they done in practice?”
“Either they can’t control the infantry, or they want legitimacy but don’t want to do this work. These are two different things.”
Durani also questioned what the Taliban meant when referring to “women’s rights.”
Image source,BBC
Pashtana Durrani, an Afghan teacher and human rights activist, said that what the Taliban says about women’s rights is different from what they actually do.
She asked: “Are they referring to mobility rights, socialization rights, political rights, their representation rights, or voting rights?”
Germany has stated that if women’s rights are not protected, it will stop all aid to Afghanistan. Some analysts say that the Taliban will give women some freedom to win recognition from global leaders.
Durani, who has won the Malala Fund Education Champion award, believes that if the Taliban prohibit girls from going to school, girls will have to resort to Internet education.
She worries that radicals may change school subjects.
She asked: “Can the girls continue to study the ordinary courses, or just study the Islamic courses that every Afghan needs to learn? At this point, I won’t believe them.”
“What I want is freedom”
A young female entrepreneur living in the Afghan capital was also skeptical of the Taliban’s promises, using the pseudonym Azada to protect her identity.
“Azada means a free man. What I want now is freedom. That’s why I chose this name.”
She was terrified of the new ruler and made a simple request.
“I want a new government that covers all Afghans. I want to be composed of Taliban, resistance groups, normal organizations, people from all religious factions. If so, we will have a new country and a new future. Even a brighter future. The future.”
But the actual blow is huge. She has lost her economic freedom because her business was closed, and when many people were fleeing the country, Azada said she could not leave.
The memory of the old Taliban rule haunts her. She said that they were very aggressive towards women at the time and she did not expect better behavior now.
Image source,Getty Images
The future of women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan faces uncertainty.
“Their clothes, hair or beards have not changed. How can they change their minds? I don’t believe this kind of rumors.” She explained.
She predicts that if the Taliban exclude women and people of different races, another cycle of violence will occur. “There will be a war. If we don’t fight, we will not survive. I will be one of them. I may lose my life. This is absolutely fine. I must have courage. I cannot escape Afghanistan. This is the only one. Choice.”