Will the Taliban re-open women's high-schools?

On 15th of August 2021, the Taliban took over the Kabul capital of Afghanistan. The Taliban are a terrorist group that took over Afghanistan first in the 1990s and then, after being forced out, they have resurrected to power with torrential speed again. In the days following their occupation, the world has wondered what this would mean for the Afghan people, particularly women.

During their first occupation, women were discriminated against and kept under a strict rule. They were prohibited from working, being educated, exiting their home without a male guardian, and even forbidden to wear high heels. In their beliefs, even a woman’s footsteps could entice males; they believe that women should not be seen or heard outside the home as to not obtain the attention of other men and break their marital pledge. Furthermore, they were obligated to always wear burqas in public as in the Taliban’s own words ‘The face of a woman is a source of corruption for any man not related to her.’ Some other restrictions included:

· Women must not speak loudly in public as no stranger should hear a woman's voice.

· All ground and first-floor residential windows should be painted over or screened to prevent women from being visible from the street.

· Photographing, filming, and displaying pictures of females in newspapers, books, shops, or the home was banned.

· The modification of any place names that included the word "women". For example, "women's garden" was renamed "spring garden".

· Women were forbidden to appear on the balconies of their apartments or houses.

· Ban on women's presence on radio, television or at public gatherings of any kind.

Afghan women were trapped in their own homes and those who disobeyed Taliban laws were publicly abused or executed. 90% of Afghan women have experienced domestic violence and legal reprimand for this is insignificant compared to charges pressed against women for so called ‘crimes’ such as running away from home, for which they can face sentences up to 5 years. If a man discovers his wife committing adultery with another man and kills her or severely injures her, he will be imprisoned for two years or less. However, if a woman finds her husband committing adultery with another woman and kills him, she will face the most serious punishment possible, and this clearly shows discrimination against women and a problem with the laws of Afghanistan. With the Taliban in power once more, this is unlikely to change. These explanations are all the epitome of injustice, misogyny and inculcating the victims which stem from a poorly veiled sense of superiority and proliferating sexism against women. The Taliban is misguided, and they are categorizing the limiting of women’s movement as a form of ensuring their safety, when their goal is to ensure male dominance.

One of the most prominent ways in which they try to achieve this is by restricting girls from being educated. During their first rise to power, girls and young women were forbidden to attend school and 87% or nearly 9/10 women were uneducated. Now, 20 years later, they plan to do the same. Recently, men’s high schools have reopened while there has been no mention of women. On Islamic grounds, where education is valued very highly, the Taliban cannot forbid women from all education, therefore primary schools are open for all. However, high schools for women still have not reopened for ‘safety reasons;’ an excuse that has been used during their first rise to power in the 1990’s. But they never opened then, and they might never reopen now as well. The Taliban ‘supported’ women’s education by declaring that women could still acquire degrees in segregated classrooms, but this would limit women’s options drastically and if high schools do not reopen for women, this declaration will be rendered useless after the current women in university graduate.

Women’s education is incredibly important as it lowers the chance of them having to marry at an early age, rely on a husband for financial stability and experience domestic violence, sexual and verbal assault. However, women’s education is not only important for women, but for the country itself. With women able to acquire an education, they will have better work opportunities, therefore decreasing poverty rates in the country and families would be able to prosper. Secondly, more citizens working in more important jobs leads to a growth in the economy, therefore benefiting the country. Thirdly, more educated women would mean less tolerance for domestic violence, creating a better environment for women and consequently a happier family. Educating girls fuels a country’s productivity and aids economic growth. The Taliban is hurting Afghanistan by trying to establish an outdated system that should have no place in today’s world.

Educating girls saves lives, builds stronger families and communities, and aids economic growth. Countries globally lose approximately 1 billion dollars per year each by failing to educate girls to the same level as boys. Therefore, how does the Taliban’s system help Afghanistan develop as a country? Why hold on to outdated beliefs for maintaining a false sense of power when you can grow your country into a prosperous nation? The answer is a futile struggle for power, for the idea that one gender must be better than the other. However, if the Taliban cared to look around, they would see that education equality is important for women, for their families and for the country to be able to progress.

Women and some men in Afghanistan are protesting the Taliban’s rule and fighting for their rights. Many fathers and brothers also fight for women to be able to receive equal education, continue working and following their dreams. Sara, an Afghan woman, who is fighting for women’s rights and education against the Taliban, reported that they were marching peacefully and protesting the new all-male government and the new regime they tried to implement, when 4-5 vehicles with 10 Taliban members in each arrived.

Sara proceeds to explain that they were whipped and struck with batons that emitted electric shocks. She reports that they were cursed at and told to hurry home where they belonged. They were all beaten simply for having a different opinion, for wanting to have equal rights. Sara’s phone was also knocked out of her hands when she tried to film the way in which they stopped the protest. This shows that the Taliban wants to keep their methods hidden, to not let the world to interfere with their plans f

or the country. It is clear the Taliban have not decided to change their regime since the last time they were in power and are most probably waiting for a chance to implement it all once more.

While we stand and watch, more than 18 million women (about the population of New York) are being abused, murdered, and deprived of their human rights. While we stand and watch, girls are condemned to mediocre lives in poverty, forced to hide, make themselves invisible. Will you allow these women to be treated in this way? Donate to reputable organizations committed to aid these women and children such as the international resource committee (IRC). The IRC support displaced women and children with shelter, clean water, sanitation, and other necessities. They provide cash assistance and help people find livelihood opportunities and they create safe learning spaces and offer community-based education, among other assistance for girls.

Do not sit idly by and watch Afghanistan be the subject of human cruelty and pure prejudice. You alone might not make a difference, however together, we will.