The Taliban has a history of reinforcing the Shariah and asking for women to obey Islamic rules and laws. This begs the question of women’s status and freedom following the movement’s recent takeover.
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History of Afghan Women’s Rights
Although international forces are still present in Afghanistan, the return of the Taliban in the heart of the country, Kabul, has brought back memories of sadism, violence and confinement in the hearts and minds of Afghan women. This repressive past, although two decades back, left some scars that are difficult to forget.
The history of women’s rights in Afghanistan has long been marked by the Taliban’s strict rules. Before the 1970s, Afghan women’s rights had kept pace with many other Western nations. In 1919, they had the right to vote, just one year after women in the UK.
Since the Taliban took over in the 1990s, this has dramatically shifted to an extreme version of Sharia law. The banning of female education over the age of 10, and the forced wear of burqa only represent a few of women’s rights restrictions. The past 20 years have been a huge success for Afghan female progression with the adoption of new constitutions to protect women’s rights.
Will the radical Islamic Group impose draconian restrictions on women and girls… again?
On August 16th, a spokesman said the Taliban would respect women’s rights within the framework of Sharia, or Islamic law. Sharia established that women have financial and legal rights. However, the Koran specifies that a sister inherits half of a brother’s amount. The Koran also states that a woman should not reveal her beauty to men beyond her family.
Still… the Sharia gets reflected in national laws
Although the Taliban is projecting a softer image now, many doubt that the group has changed its views on women’s rights in any fundamental way.
Sources:
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47391821
- https://www-statista-com.iclibezp1.cc.ic.ac.uk/chart/4157/where-do-the-majority-of-muslims-want-sharia/
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-58249952
- https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/what-sharia-law-taliban-women-afghanistan-meaning-b951223.html
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-27307249
- https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/17/asia/afghanistan-women-taliban-intl-hnk-dst/index.html
- https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2021/08/the-talibans-return-is-awful-for-women-in-afghanistan/619765/
- https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/SR347-Sharia_and_Women’s_Rights_in_Afghanistan.pdf
- https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SG.LAW.INDX?locations=AF
