How has life changed for Afghan women since the Taliban took power? | DW News

As US and NATO forces withdrew from conflict-ravaged Afghanistan following two decades of war, fighters from the Islamic fundamentalist group made lightning advances, conquering the entire nation in a matter of weeks. The Taliban has now been in power there for two years. As global interest in the war-torn country diminishes, many Afghans feel abandoned. Since the Taliban retook control they have imposed draconian restrictions on society, especially women and girls. Despite initial promises to respect women’s rights under Sharia, or Islamic law, the Taliban have since imposed draconian restrictions on women and girls. Most of them are barred from participating in public life, educational institutions and the labor market. Women’s freedom of movement has also been severely restricted. Yet, in an interview with DW’s Biresh Banerjee, Taliban spokesperson Suhai Shaheen claimed women had made progress in the country. Shaheen insisted, incorrectly, that the Taliban have not denied education rights to women. He also said that the Taliban are supporting women’s progress by allowing them to study nursing and to specialize as doctors. His argument ignores the fact that such diktats take away women’s autonomy. Women are also only allowed to be in medical fields so that they do not have to be treated by male medical staff. Shaheen restated the Taliban’s promise that schools and universities will be reopened to girls and women. He could not specify when this would happen. But, he said, “there is a committee set up to create an Islamic environment for that.” Women in Afghanistan, human rights activists as well as the United Nations vehemently disagree with these claims, and have found chronic discrimination against women in the country.