Taliban's Relegation Of Women To Home Violates Islamic Principles Of Equality And Women Empowerment
By
New Age Islam Staff Writer
26 March
2024
1.4
Million Girls Of Afghanistan Were Barred From Schools For Third Consecutive
Year
Main
Points:
1. Taliban has
banned women's education beyond sixth grade.
2. Many girls
have become depressed and suicidal.
3. They barred
women from working in international NGOs.
1. 4.Taliban
banned women boutiques and beauty salons.
4. The women
have been barred from working in government and private organisations.
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(File Photo)
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For the
third consecutive year, the Taliban have barred girls of Afghanistan from
attending schools and universities. They have banned girls' education from
seventh grade.1.4 million Afghan girls have been forced to abandon their
studies due to the tribal mentality of Taliban's highest leadership. When they
had come to power in August 2021, they had promised to honour the educational,
economic and social rights of women but the more conservative lobby of Taliban
became dominant in its decision making process. This led to gradual relegation
of women from Afghan society to their homes. It is said that Hebatullah Akhundzada,
the head of Taliban has a tribal and conservative mindset and opposes the
involvement of women in social, economic and educational development of the
country. During the last three years, women have been gradually removed from
every walk of life. They were barred from working in government offices. Then
they were removed from media outlets. They were banned from running fashion
stores, boutiques and beauty salons. They were even barred from working in
local and foreign NGOs as health professionals. The Taliban elaborated that the
female employees of the NGOs did not wear proper hijab. This led to the ban.
In June
2023, the Taliban banned music either in weddings or in funerals. They issued
orders to wedding hall owners prohibiting the use of music in weddings. They
argued that music played in weddings contradicted Islamic rulings.
Earlier in
April 2023, the Taliban shut down Afghanistan's only women run radio station called
Sada-e-Banowan ( Voice of Women). The radio was started ten years ago. The
Taliban said that the radio station was shut down because it played music.
Station head Najia Sarosh denied having played music. Perhaps, the Taliban did
not approve of even background music or jingles.
A prominent
Taliban leader and Interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, however, does not
agree with the Taliban's radical ideas about women but the problem is that the
Taliban leadership is dominated by conservative ideologues who follow Afghan
tribal tradition which prohibits allowing girls above 12 years to go out and
mix with men. This is in stark contrast with the Quran and hadiths that allow
women to acquire education and work in different departments as professionals
while maintaining their modesty. The Quran has already outlined principles and
rules for the participation of women in business and social activities. Islam
does not enforce total seclusion of women from social and political activities.
The United
Nations had expressed deep concern over total isolation of Afghan women by the
Taliban government on International Women's Day. Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva,
Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said she had few
comforting messages to share with Afghan women and girls on International
Women’s Day, noting that, although Afghanistan needs human capital to recover
from the war, half of its doctors, scientists and journalists find themselves
shut as women in their homes, with their dreams crushed and talent confiscated.
“We understand that the Taliban have a highly different worldview than any
other Government, but it is difficult to understand how any Government worthy
of the name can govern against the needs of half of its population.”
Amid a
catastrophic humanitarian situation, in which two thirds of Afghanistan’s
population — 28 million people — need humanitarian assistance to survive, and
20 million people are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity,
necessitating funding of $4.62 billion — the single largest country appeal ever
— access and security constraints, including the bans on women working in
non-governmental organizations, make it difficult to reach those in desperate
need. Prior to these restrictions, in 2022, the United Nations and its partners
were able to reach 26.1 million people, she said, noting that the situation had
compelled humanitarian workers to make uncomfortable compromises to save Afghan
lives. “The absurdity of this situation requires no comment, she added.
With the
growing hold of Taliban on power, there is no hope of women's empowerment in
the country. In August 2023, they banned political parties to throttle
dissenting voices. They argued that political parties were against Islamic laws
and that there was no basis for political parties in an Islamic country. To
them, political parties did not serve any national interests. Two years ago,
more than 70 political parties were registered in Afghanistan in anticipation
of participation of political parties in the political process of the country.
The secular
political lobby that ruled Afghanistan for twenty years has suddenly
disappeared from the political scene and there is no opposition in the country.
In this situation, girls and women have no hope of returning to their social
and educational workplaces. The talent that is latent in the women has been
forced to be suffocated in the confines of their homes. Writers, artists,
sportswomen, journalists, fashion designers, doctors, professors, teachers and
aspiring professionals have been pushed behind the walls of their homes. Those
who are rich manage to leave Afghanistan and settle in Europe but the majority
of the women are forced to live a life of utter despair and suffer from
frustration and suicidal tendencies.
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