Uniting for Change: Afghan Women’s Rights Matter – a background of women’s rights in Afghanistan

Blog by Livia Amato

On August 15^th, 2021, the Taliban regained control of Kabul following the US withdrawal. Almost instantly, Afghan women’s rights were severely curtailed. As the third anniversary of this takeover approaches, it is crucial to amplify the efforts of Afghan women and advocate for the restoration of their human rights on a global scale.

At Amnesty Feminists, we have therefore decided to launch a new campaign - Rise with Afghan Women. Through this campaign, we are committed to raising awareness of the oppression faced by Afghan women under the Taliban regime; partnering with Afghan feminist organisations and amplifying the voices of Afghan women; and advocating for the reinstallation and progression of Afghan women’s rights.

Afghanistan is currently ranked 177/177 for women’s rights globally (Women Peace and Security Index 2023/2024).[1] This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need to understand the broader context of Afghanistan’s political and social landscape. This blog aims to take you on a journey through the critical events that have shaped the nation’s history: from the rise of militant terrorist groups in Afghanistan to the Taliban's initial control during the late 1990s, the U.S.'s 20-year war in the country, and the rapid withdrawal of their troops in 2021, leading to the Taliban's return to power. By examining these pivotal moments, we seek to provide a comprehensive understanding of Afghanistan's current situation, particularly regarding the impact on women’s rights.

THE IMPACT OF US ANTI-COMMUNISM POLICIES ON THE RISE OF MILITANT GROUPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Militant extremist groups did not suddenly come to hold power in Afghanistan, they, in varying forms, have been in establishment since the late 1970s, gaining significant power through US fiscal aid. In the 1950s, Communist ideology spread within Afghanistan, something highlighted by the election of Mohammed Douad Khan in 1953. His premiership marked a period of liberalisation of rights within the country and along with the then King, Mohammad Zahir Shah, who promoted women's education and rights including giving women a constitutional right to suffrage in 1964.[2] Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, liberalisation of women’s rights did continue attributable to “compulsory social changes” such as outlawing forced marriages, establishing co-ed schools and encouraging women to have active roles in society.[3] The Soviet Union did, however, disregard the cultural traditions of Afghanistan, resulting in the alienation of rural communities.

Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the United States decided to ‘fight’ communism by-proxy by arming and economically aiding fringe Afghan resistance forces; by 1985, the economic aid allocated by the US to such groups surpassed $250 million.[4] This aid and the arms supply allowed the then Mujahidin to gain significant influence in the country. Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 1988 and the US stopped providing economic assistance the following year, leaving in its wake, a "policy void in which radical elements in the ISI eagerly filled" (ISI – Inter-Services Intelligence – Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency) .[5] This included the Taliban, a group who gained popularity by promising to end the factional disputes that were rampant amongst extremist groups at the time. Ahmed Rashid explains the rise of Taliban power recounting that it gained notoriety status for freeing children from Kandahar warlords. This created an almost Robin Hood mysticism around the group which attracted “victimized Afghans [who needed the Taliban to] help against local oppressors”.[6]

THE TALIBAN’S 1996 - 2001 GRIP ON AFGHANISTAN AND THE US INVASION

The restriction of women’s rights under Taliban rule since 2021 was not surprising given that similar restrictions had been implemented when they seized control in September 1996, following a period of civil war in the country.[7] Under the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, women were stripped of their right to education and employment[8] and lived under a strictly imposed dress code[9]. These policies came about under the guise of implementing ‘Qur’anic jurisprudence’.[10] The notorious legacy of the Taliban’s five-year control from 1996 to 2001 was a significant contributor to the mass fleeing of the country when it regained control in 2021. 

The Taliban was disposed of governing power in 2001 when the US invaded. Following 9/11, George W Bush launched his ‘war on terrorism’ which, despite none of the hijackers being Afghan, involved invading Afghanistan.[11] The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1267 which officially designated Al-Qaeda and the Taliban as terrorist organisations, however there was no specific Security Council Resolution authorising the invasion of Afghanistan and the military campaign was not specifically mandated by the UN. Bombing campaigns began nonetheless and ground forces entered the country in October 2001, ensuing 20 years of armed combat.[12]

During this period, women’s rights did see some improvement under interim Afghan governments, such as those led by Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani. There were efforts to increase access to education and curb gender discrimination. However, enhancing Afghan women’s rights—or the rights of citizens in general—was not the primary focus of the U.S. invasion, a fact underscored by the abrupt withdrawal of troops in 2021.

In 2020, the US announced plans to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan following peace talks with the Taliban, with the withdrawal initially set to be completed by September 11th, 2021. However, as the Taliban rapidly advanced and seized control of Afghanistan, culminating in their takeover of Kabul on August 15th, 2021, the US and allied forces accelerated their withdrawal, beginning the following day.[13] This sequence of events suggests that the US withdrawal allowed the Taliban to swiftly take over the country, leaving a power vacuum that the group exploited as they reimplemented their oppressive regime without any significant resistance.

The Doha Agreement, signed in February 2020,[14] as the basis of the contract of withdrawal between the US and the Taliban, has been criticised for its failure to pay adequate attention to women’s rights in Afghanistan. Masooma Rahmaty comments that the instant withdrawal of troops and the failure to champion women during such talks makes it clear that “the rushed attempt by the US government to end the ongoing conflict would undermine the achievements made by Afghan women in the past two decades”.[15] The withdrawal of US troops and the Taliban’s seizing of power resulted in a major regression of Afghan women’s rights, suggesting that women’s rights and citizen’s rights in general were not a priority of the US foreign policy.

THE TALIBAN’S RETURN TO POWER: A GRAVE REGRESSION IN WOMEN’S RIGHTS

The Western allies abandonment of efforts in Afghanistan, was a period that saw citizens swarming to airports and hanging off planes. These images are burned into the minds of many worldwide. The desperation of innocent citizens, risking their lives, to leave their homeland, due to fear that the Taliban would reintroduce its oppressive governing regime. Since the Taliban’s overtaking of Afghanistan, the progression of women’s rights and their role in society have been systematically repealed under a guise of imposing their interpretation of Sharia law.

Afghanistan is now the only country in the world that restricts the right of girls to access an education, past the age of 12.[16] Hassan Abbas discussed the Taliban’s reasoning for introducing unequal access to education for girls and boys as stemming from 19^th century orthodox views of women’s role in society (or lack thereof), he said: “The ones who went on to develop the (Taliban) movement opted for ideas that are restrictive, orthodox to the extreme, and tribal”.[17] Abbas notes that this orthodox view is not shared amongst other Muslim majority countries and highlights that the Taliban is unable to evidence Islamic text that endorses the restriction of girls access to education.

The impact of banning girls from accessing education will have long-term ramifications on Afghan society, something that is noted by the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Roza Otunbayeva who highlights that this will result in “the pipeline of qualified people [to] dry up”; without women having access to education, there will be a lack of female doctors or healthcare professionals. This is an issue exacerbated by the fact that there is a deeply entrenched traditional aversions to women seeking medical assistance from male doctors. This suggests that in the not-so-distant future, women in Afghanistan may find themselves living in a medical void, unable to seek life-saving healthcare resultant from the systematic refusal to allow girls older than 12 access education.

Further gendered issues in Afghanistan stem from the Taliban’s ban on women partaking in the workforce, an issue which Anita Bhatia (UN Women Deputy Executive Director) notes as an overt violation of human rights.[18] Women are now no longer able to participate in society, for example, they cannot be teachers or bank workers. However, one sector that is the salon industry which, prior to the Taliban takeover, employed over 60,000 women.[19] This is particularly worrisome considering that salons were hugely important for “[providing] many Afghan women with a safe, female-only space where they can meet outside their homes and without a male chaperone.”[20] There are few, outlying situations where women can still work, such as in cases where the job cannot be performed by men such as some doctors, though female doctors are barred from treating male patients. This regression of women’s right to work has had huge economic ramifications on the country as a whole, plunging an increasing amount of families into abject poverty.

The regression of women’s rights under the Taliban has exacerbated endemic societal issues within Afghanistan such as poverty and arranged marriages.[21] The International Rescue Committee has published figures that suggest that an estimated 90% of Afghan citizens have been impacted by poverty; of this, 80% are women and children.[22] UNICEF have noted that “the extremely dire economic situation in Afghanistan is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.”[23] Girls in Afghanistan are being forced into dangerous, unequal marriages to help ease the financial strain their families are facing. The rise in these problems is directly linked to the Taliban’s oppressive rule on women.

STAY CONNECTED - RISE WITH AFGHAN WOMEN

Highlighted in this blog are just a handful of the alarming concerns taking place in Afghanistan. Women’s rights in Afghanistan are under urgent and continued oppression under the Taliban’s rule. And on the political world stage, there is a distinct lack of condemnation and punishment of the Taliban as well as the prioritisation of participant engagement of Afghan women in spaces and conferences concerning their future. More must be done for Afghan women.

At Amnesty Feminists, we are steadfast in our commitment to championing the rights of Afghan women through our Rise with Afghan Women campaign.

Stay connected and join us in making a difference:

• Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn & subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates, stories, and ways to get involved.
• Participate in our upcoming webinars, in person events, campaign actions and more to stand in solidarity with Afghan women and advocate for their rights.

Together, we can make a tangible impact and support Afghan women in their pursuit of freedom, equality, and justice.