Equality, life, liberty, personal security, free movement, education: in the 21st century most people take those freedoms for granted. But what if places where such basic liberties are taken away from female individuals still existed?
On the 7th May 2022, Afghanistan - which has been under Taliban rule since mid-August last year after the withdrawal of the American troops - formally became one of those locations. Women are now obliged to cover the entirety of the body - including their faces - in public places since it is “traditional and respectful”, with a suggestion to give up work and not to leave home unless necessary. Additionally, it was decided before that girls are forbidden to attend school after 6th grade. On top of that, on the 22nd of May Taliban enforced face coverings for Afghanistan’s female TV presenters.
Does that mean going back to the years 1996-2001 when womenfolk were banned from education, work, leaving the house unaccompanied, being involved in politics, revealing their skin in public; stripping them of basic human rights? Even though the authorities assure that for the time being there are no penalties that used to be in force for breaching the decree, it is an imminent threat that such a case could take place eventually.
Albeit, a few brave Afghan women have condemned the restrictive regulations. “Burqa is not our hijab,” were the chants of a handful of women protesting the decision 3 days after it was made public, trying to distinguish the two. Being seen as a sign of modesty and faith by people who wear them, there exist a lot of kinds of coverings worn by Muslim women, burqa being the most concealing, suffocating and controversial one, criticised even by some worshippers.
“Islamic principles and Islamic ideology are more important to us than anything else,” says Khalid Hanafi, minister for the Taliban’s vice and virtue ministry. Yet, a question arises whether it is respecting the religion or being blinded by the will to be in power that authorises men to break not one, but nearly all of the fundamental human rights?
There is no doubt that such a decision is to result in even further exclusion of the country from the international community and worsening of the already poor relations with the rest of the world. Preserving justice, social closure, cultural maintenance, and mostly, peace, seem less and less possible.
Yet, do they actually stick to Islamic principles? Isn’t it that they change certain verses from the holy book of Muslims, the Qur’an, solely to inflict highly dictatorial principles upon the innocent population?
The answer is - and this is very unfortunate - yes. Religious extremist groupings strive to bring Islam in the worst light and by doing so, they make thousands of people quit their faith. Some examples that the Taliban's claim to be true but in reality are rebutted by Islam itself are presented below:
Education. According to the Taliban system of education, women are not permitted to study in secondary school nor to receive a salary from teaching. This is completely contrary to the previous situation in Afghanistan, when women made up 40% of doctors and 60% of teachers in Kabul university (1978). As Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) once said “Education is not only the right, but the duty of every Muslim, male or female”. Moreover, the use of “man” in certain verses does not indicate that only those of male gender have a right to study; “man” is mostly used to replace “human”.
Hijab. While the Taliban proclaim wearing the hijab as obligatory, Islam clearly mentions that it is only encouraged that women dress modestly. Besides, such a rule is incorrect in its very essence: it prevents tourists from visiting the country, thus blocking citizens from being open to other cultures and traditions. It brings serious damage to the economy, as well.
When it comes to finances, the country is experiencing a serious collapse - bank systems are not operating. In addition, previously 75% of Afghanistan's budget came from foreign donors, but now with isolation, the country has lost its enormous resources. Because of that, the bureaucracy workers have highly declined in numbers, as the majority of people left their homes and are scared of returning.
To make matters worse, all of these aspects negatively affect the mental state of Afghan people. It is very likely that soon, most of the population will suffer from psychological issues such as PTSD, anxiety and severe phobias.
In the face of the growing humanitarian crisis, being an advocate for the oppressed, speaking out loud about the matter and educating oneself and others on the Afghan happenings seem more crucial now, more than ever. Only by standing together in solidarity with our peers can we make a difference.
It is grief and sorrow that fill up hearts watching our sisters suffer, and without a drastic change of situation it will be a long time until we see the thousand splendid suns that once brightened the Afghan people. People should not be oppressed by religion and feel like it poses a threat to their overall well-being. It is everyone’s natural right to enjoy full freedom, especially of those innocent children - of our promising future.
Klara Anna Gonciarz with Gulchin Aliyeva
23 May 2022
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