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Opinion

As Taliban Captures Kabul Afghan Women Fight Back

Afghan women fight back against the Talibans in their own way. But is the situation likely to improve?

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Dipanwita
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Afghan women fight back: Last month, the American and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) withdrew forces from Afghanistan. This resulted in the Taliban, an extremist military organisation regaining control over large parts of the country. The situation there has turned horrifying particularly for the Afghan women.
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In early July, the leaders of the organisation captured the provinces of Badakhshan and Takhar. They issued an order that the citizens were to provide them with a list of girls above the age of 15 and widows under the age of 45 for "marriage" to their fighters. On August 15th they took over Kabul.

This order instilled fear among women and children and they started fleeing. If the forced marriages take place, the women and girls will be taken to Pakistan's Waziristan, re-educated and converted to "authentic Islam". Other restrictions imposed on women include remaining behind closed doors, leaving home only with a male "guardian" or mahram, wearing the all-encompassing burqa and replacing them with men at work. But women haven't submitted themselves to these diktats. Here is a look at Women in Afghan who are standing up to the adverse situation:

Filmmaker Sahraa Karimi urges people to speak up

After the Taliban occupied Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, filmmaker and scriptwriter Sahraa Karimi shared a video of what happened.  Karimi had stepped out to withdraw money from the bank. But to her shock, she found it closed and being evacuated. The first woman to be appointed as the director-general of state-run Afghan Film, Karimi has no plans to leave her country yet.

 

Afghan artists use their brushes and cameras to revolt

Internationally renowned street graffiti artist Shamsia Hassani used her art to raise her voice. She refused to stay suppressed despite the ban on art, movies, music and the freedom of expression. Sharing an artwork, Hassani wrote on Twitter, "Let us make peace. I want my country, my home back. I want peace and freedom for my people."

Recently, she shared more of her paintings portraying the horror Afghanistan is facing. Have a look at them below:

Another artist, Rada Akbar shared the picture of a schoolgirl sitting in her classroom and expressed her concern for the children of her nation. She wrote in the caption, "I photographed this beautiful girl a few months ago while I was on an assignment with @visionsforchildren. I've been thinking about her today. I'm worried for her, for her rights, for her future. What will happen to the 1000s of other girls like her?"

Read more on Afghan artists here.

Afghan women fight back. But Can we hope for better days to come?

Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesperson, called up a BBC journalist, Yalda Hakim to discuss the group's "future goals". She has garnered praise for handling the situation tactfully. Shaheen confirmed that they would bring "peace" and are "servants to the people and of this country". But he added that Afghanistan should return to the extreme Islamic Sharia law. Men and women are required to dress "modestly" and will face tough punishments when the rules are not followed. He further said that the Taliban wouldn't take any action on women and they will be allowed to study. Shaheen, however, stressed that they would have to wear the hijab.

But is it possible to trust the spokesperson's words? Everyone is aware of the brutal treatment women in Afghan are facing. With the acting President abandoning his countrymen and the authorities taking no legal action against the terrorists, can we foresee a brighter future for the country? Afghans have begun to feel unsafe in their own country and are trying to escape the land risking their lives. Will the world ever be a better and safer place for women?

The views expressed are the author's own.

taliban and women Afghan women Shamsia Hassani Sahraa Karimi
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