As the Taliban continues to take  over Afghanistan, one of the main concerns is as follows: What is going to happen to Afghan women and their rights? The last time the Taliban had power, repression was one of their tactics, especially toward women. When they were in power in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, women had little to no rights. They could not go to school, have a job or even leave their house, without a male relative accompanying them. If Afghan women went against these rules, they were brutally punished.  

After 9/11, women rights became an important part of the US mission in Afghanistan. “In 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a group of female Afghan ministers: “We will not abandon you, we will stand with you always.” Close to 20 year later, the US soldiers have left Afghanistan hoping to end the war between the two countries; however, this hope is not the case. The Talabian quickly took over, leaving the women of Afghanistan hopeless and afraid of what their lives would be like under Talibian rule. 

Nancy Pelosi tweeted, “We are concerned about reports regarding the Taliban’s brutal treatment of all Afghans, but especially women and children.” Pelosi also stated that, “Women and girls in Afghanistan have been a high priority for us.” The Tabliban has said that they would be more moderate than they have been in the past with women and their rights, by allowing women to go to school and work. “Lida Azim, an organizer with Afghans for a Better Tomorrow, said. “They might be allowed to go to work or school, but it’s a huge intimidation tactic.” Even with these claims, Afghan women are still terrified and don’t know what direction to turn to.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.