Afghan Women Take To Streets, Demand Political And Social Inclusion

Earlier this week, Afghan women activists held protests in Afghanistan demanding political and social inclusion. According to the reports, hundreds of women took to the streets of the national capital Kabul and demanded their inclusion in political and social decisions. These women sought female representation in the caretaker government of the Taliban and said that they will not stop resisting until their role in the new government is clarified. They further pointed out that there was a lot of difference between the Taliban's announcement and the ground reality that the women have been facing since they took over the country. “The Taliban repeatedly say that women have the right to education, work and political inclusion in the government, and they should show it in practice,” a protester said, as reported by TOLO News.

The Taliban have been trying to portray a good image in front of the world while promising rights to women and minorities but the on-ground situation is a far cry from reality. A former government employee who attended the protest said that they were feeling frustrated at home and added that the all-men Taliban government would collapse if women were excluded from the decision making.

Several media reports suggest that women will be treated as second-class citizens with limited rights. Second-class citizenship for women means they would not enjoy all the rights that a man can. Afghan women will be under forced suppression in their own country under the Taliban in the name of their “monopolised version of Islam”, which will sacrifice the women's rights and freedom in Afghanistan. Media reports further claimed that the women in the country would not only face physical violence but also have to face structural, cultural and institutional restrictions. Veteran women's rights activist Mehbouba Siraj also urged the international community to fully support Afghan women amid the deteriorating situation in the war-torn nation.