31/10/2024
The situation for women in Afghanistan is dire and demands our immediate attention. Since the Taliban’s return to power, they’ve systematically stripped away women’s basic rights and freedoms:
• Education denied: Girls can’t attend secondary school or university
• Employment restricted: Most government, NGO, and many private sector jobs banned
• Public life curtailed: Women need male guardians for travel, can’t visit parks or gyms
• Strict dress codes: Full-body and face coverings mandatory in public
• Silenced voices: Women can’t speak loudly in public or even pray aloud with other women
These oppressive measures have erased two decades of progress, effectively imposing a form of gender apartheid. Women are being erased from public life and economic participation.
We cannot stand by silently. It’s crucial that we:
1. Raise awareness about these human rights violations
2. Support organizations working to help Afghan women
3. Urge our governments to apply diplomatic pressure on the Taliban
4. Amplify the voices of Afghan women fighting for their rights
The international community must act. Every voice, every action counts. What will you do to help?
“Even when an adult female prays and another female passes by, she must not pray loudly enough for them to hear,” he said in his message.