- Term it unfortunate, destiny, fate, and simply disastrous, the plight/mistreatment of women in Afghanistan continues to be pathetic to say the least. While the majority of the world is gung-ho about witnessing unprecedented progress on every economic parameter, ushering in unparalleled comforts to the global community, women in Afghanistan are simply being badgered with inhuman and extremely medieval practices. As we are aware, Afghanistan, as a country, has endured tremendous struggle, ill-treatment, lack of basic amenities, and severely curtailed existence for decades. The successive foreign invasions have battered the region beyond redemption, and the Taliban leadership is only exacerbating the situation further.
PC: Al Jazeera
- As is their wont, women are at the centre of such regressive and repressive measures that mere reading of the latest Taliban diktat makes one feel repulsive. The Taliban’s new penal code reimposes total gender apartheid on Afghan women. To the international community’s utter indifference, the Taliban have created a horror chamber for Afghan women. After barring women from school and work, restricting their movement and access to health, and erasing women from public life, Kabul issued a new penal code with medieval provisions. The new code enshrines gender apartheid, where women are treated like property and their husbands and male relatives are allowed to physically punish them, provided this doesn’t cause broken bones or open wounds.
PC: dw.com
- Shocking and unbelievable as it reads, the fact of the matter is that the Taliban 2.0 is as brutish as their earlier avatar was. Ironically, they are also trying to attract foreign investments. Decades of war have ravaged the Afghan economy. True, the Afghan economy grew by 4.3% last year. But this was a temporary boost due to 2mn returning refugees from Pakistan and Iran. Taliban know they are vulnerable to internal pressures sans long-term economic growth. Hence, their attempt to promote tourism by inviting YouTubers to Afghanistan. But there’s no way a vibrant tourism industry can be built without women. Just like there can’t be an effective healthcare sector without women doctors, or quality education without girls and women teachers.
PC: The Jerusalem Post
- Sadly, Taliban only want to show minimal signs of flexibility – like keeping the Afghan men’s cricket team going – to keep the international community interested, while sticking to their obscurantist ideology. Indeed, the Taliban isn’t a monolith with different factions vying for influence. But the core leadership headed by supreme leader Mullah Akhundzada has stamped its regressive views on the Taliban government. The strategy of treating women as sub-human while showing some signs of economic openness to foreigners won’t work. There cannot be any progress without women. Taliban, by sanctioning the mistreatment of Afghan women, is again taking Afghanistan to a dark place. The global leadership should make the Taliban regime realisethis aspect now.
