Banned, Barred, and Brave: Women Under the Rule of the Taliban
- Keerthi Virupakshi
- Aug 30
- 3 min read
“Because of the Taliban, Afghanistan has become a jail for women. We haven't got any human rights” (Faranos Nazir). This was said by a 34 year old woman living in Kabul. Women in Afghanistan are silenced by the Taliban. They are not allowed to go to work or school. They have to cover up head to toe if going outside, when they do go outside they are not able to speak in public. To us this sounds like torture, not being able to go out to school and covering up fully in extreme heats, but to Afghan women this is everyday life.
Ever since the Taliban took control in August of 2021, little girls weren’t able to go to school past the 6th grade. So many young women in Afghanistan believe education can help them escape. Many young women feel isolated not being able to learn and grow. Due to young girls not being able to receive proper education families have started marrying off teenagers to grown men. The thought of a teenager who could be studying and following her dreams getting married and giving up her whole life because of the Taliban. After this ban had been passed, women protested near universities for their right to education. I can’t imagine how much bravery and courage it took for these women to do this knowing how dangerous the Taliban are. This unfortunately got shut down immediately.
Imagine not being able to go out of the house in your own country, Afghan women don’t have to imagine they are currently living in it. In December 2021, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice banned women from going out in public without a male guardian. This completely takes away their freedom, they are being shut down day by day. Women without a male relative, such as widows or divorced women, are effectively trapped indoors, even during medical emergencies. It’s like women are no longer able to be seen in public. Then in 2022, the Taliban banned women from going to public parks, gyms, and other public areas. Some shop owners have been told not to even accommodate women if they are seen without a male escort. The Taliban now are restricting healthcare for women if they are not married. Some female doctors have been restricted from working in small villages too. So, if no doctors are available and due to the islamic religion male doctors are not allowed to treat females, women have no evident access to healthcare. In December 2022, they suspended all female staff working with NGOs, although some exceptions were later made for healthcare. In December 2024, the Taliban banned women from training as nurses or midwives, only women who previously had training could continue working if approved by the Taliban.
Many muslims and Afghan women view the Taliban’s restrictions as inhumane. “Is this my religion? Is this the way of culture?” This quote is from a poem that was written by Zieba Shorish-Shamley, a woman who grew up in Afghanistan. Islam is not about taking everything away from women, their freedom, their happiness, and their right to speak up. The Taliban is using religion as a weapon to enforce rules and regulations upon Afghan women. Islam values modesty not removing freedom from women, it also encourages education for everyone, and islam does not ban women from public life. The Taliban is trying to erase women’s rights and silencing them which is not okay.
From banning education to isolating women from public life and healthcare, these regulations strip Afghan women of their voice and freedom. I just hope they get the help needed somehow whether that is education for young girls or healthcare for women. Today, there are some support systems for women in Afghanistan. Some of them include: WomenforWomen, they are an organization who help deliver support and supplies to Afghan women, and, Women for Afghan Women (WAW), is a support system that helps advocate for Afghan women rights and empowers young girls in Afghanistan and in the U.S.
Sources:
Keerthi Virupakshi, Bentonville, AR , 9th Grade , Instagram-@keerthivirupakshi
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