Ever since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, they have been implementing rule after rule on women. It started with shutting down secondary education and university for women. Taliban claimed that colleges and secondary schools would be reopened for girls after they are able to segregate male and female students. The University was reopened in February 2022 allowing female students to complete their education however, the secondary school education of the girls was not reopened. This meant that Afghan women could only get educated up to the sixth grade at max. To make matters worse, now the Taliban has reportedly banned girls from attending school beyond third grade. No girl above the age of 10 years is permitted to attend primary school as per the new Taliban rule.
The Taliban regime previously barred women from work at local and non-governmental organisations including the United Nations. In July 2022, the Taliban asked the female employees of Afghanistan’s Finance Ministry to recommend the name of a male relative to replace them. Further, women were ordered to wear full-body coverings in public. The decree passed by the Taliban also stated that the male “guardians” of women who failed to follow the law would be punished with a fine, prison time or termination from government employment.
Also Read: 8 Restrictions Imposed By The Taliban That Violate Women’s Rights
Women were also prohibited from gyms, public baths, public parks and amusement parks. As per media reports, the regime also banned contraceptives and ordered pharmacies to get rid of birth control medicines and threatened midwives. Women are also not permitted to step out without being accompanied by a male relative. Female TV presenters have been asked to cover their faces on camera. And guess what? Women aren’t allowed to seek education to become doctors and they’re also not allowed to seek medical treatment from male doctors.
Also Read: Taliban Bans Women From Going To Male Doctors. But Won’t Let Women Study To Become Docs Also!
Beauty salons have also been shut down and women have been barred from using cosmetic products among several other rules. Despite their assurance to not oppress women, the Taliban has effectively brought around laws to remove women from public life. Considering that the regime does not want women to exist in public life in Afghanistan and wants to keep them locked up at home, prevent them from living their lives and has erased their existence without a man, wouldn’t it just be better to ban women from existing in Afghanistan? Why not just make Afghanistan a country of men, by men, for men? Just let the women of the country move away and make your own world without women? Wouldn’t that just make more sense? The Taliban has set the women’s rights and empowerment movement in Afghanistan 20 years back. So, why bother letting women live in the country at all if you don’t want them to take up space and let their presence be known?
Also Read: Adding To Its Ridiculous Rule Book For Women, Taliban Bans Contraception, Abortion Pills
Honestly, this would be a relief. Afghanistan is clearly better off without women and I’m pretty sure that women are better off without being forced to exist like ghosts in a country that does not want their existence to be known. More so because the Taliban has been actively making rules that aren’t just making it tough for Afghan women to survive in the country but also for them to breathe and actually live. Why kill them slowly with rules when you can just ask them to leave? TBH, it’s not like Afghan women have anything to live for considering all the rules.