A step back in time for Afghan women?

The Taliban return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 and take with them all the rights acquired by these women.

Women’s protests

The Taliban have regained power in just 10 days, after more than 20 years since the fall of their regime. This short report, filmed in Kabul, shows young female feminist activists demonstrating to defend all the rights they have gained in recent years. Since 9 September 2021, demonstrations are only possible with the approval of the Ministry of Justice. Since this change, the number of demonstrations has been reduced. These women are afraid of losing their rights and freedoms. None of these women trust the Taliban who promise them that they can continue to study and work freely.

A generation that no longer gives in

In 1996, no woman dared to oppose the Taliban. Women were afraid to speak out, as the right to demonstrate was not recognised. Today, the new generation of women is demonstrating against armed Islamists and intends to make its voice heard. Many of the demonstrators are very young women who have not known the Taliban regime before, which is perhaps why they dare to oppose them. The older generations have a bad image of their past, and they know that the Taliban are capable of a lot. The Taliban are against demonstrations.

Legitimate claims

All these women have studied for a long time and want to be able to work as dentists, teachers, etc. Mentalities are changing, these women no longer wish to be housewives, they are emancipating themselves from men. Despite the words of the Taliban, women cannot go back to work at present, they say that women are not safe to go to work.
These demonstrators want to be able to dress as they want, is not to wear the full veil and not to be under the authority of a man so that they can do what they want, such as go out.

The first regressive measures

Through these demonstrations, the women want to call the international community’s attention to the measures that have already been decided by the government. The 5th of September 2021 is marked by the end of co-education in schools. In classrooms, men and women sit on opposite sides of the room, separated by a curtain. Women must wear an abaya, which is a veil that covers the whole body, and a niquab, which is a veil that covers the hair and face. To avoid exchanges, women leave the room after the men.

Since September 8, 2021, Afghan women have been banned from playing sports because their clothing shows too much of their body and face. The last measure taken is that women are not represented in the government, although the Taliban had promised this in their government.
The Taliban do not want what is happening in Afghanistan to be revealed to the world. As a result, journalists have already been beaten violently and sidelined from demonstrations. The report ends with a rather violent scene of the dispersal of the demonstrators and this may suggest that their promises may not be kept. At present, there are reports of deaths related to these dispersals during demonstrations.