HOW THE TALIBAN IS SETTING WOMEN’S RIGHTS BACK 50 YEARS

Since the Taliban took over on August 15 1996, women have been stripped of basic human rights and of all freedom they previously had.

The Taliban has an extensive history of attempting to overthrow the traditional government in Afghanistan, proving finally successful in 1996 when they overthrew authorities and remained in power until 2001. Forceful seizure of power has led to not only an infringement on the majority of the UN’s decreed human rights, but in particular an extraneous backtrack on progress in sectors such as female education, women’s rights, and forcing their reliance on males. One of the Taliban's newly enforced laws consists of prohibiting girls over 11 from attending school, which has obviously disregarded the UN universal agreement that education should be accessible to everyone (article 23). Women studying in University in Afghanistan are now gender segregated, a decision which resulted in justified global uproar. On top of this, the Taliban is now only allowing women to work ‘subject to their interpretation of Islamic law’, resulting in some women having to leave their jobs out of fear of punishment.

All restrictions the Taliban have introduced have huge impacts on everyday lives of these women, and cause great hardship. Most women cannot return to work so struggle to further a career or provide for their families. Their freedom has been removed just because of their gender - an unacceptable prejudice. Education is a right we take for granted, but it serves as the pathway to having power over your life and circumstances as well as helping people change oppressive regimes. Knowledge is power and these new laws will create a cycle of oppressed women. Young women who are separated by sex in university now have very limited experiences and their education is treated as second to men.

If you feel as strongly about this issue as we do, the sources below are great ways to get involved and donate to a cause that matters.

Madre is a global women’s rights organisation providing long-term support to women -led groups that are impacted by war and disaster in inaccessible areas.

They are calling for funds to facilitate an urgent underground escape and support network in Afghanistan.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works to promote and protect the rights of children and women in Afghanistan and have a presence in every region. So far, the Taliban have allowed UNICEF to remain and there is hope that they will be allowed to set up schools which girls can also attend.

The Women’s Peace & Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is an innovative partnership empowering local women to be a force for crisis response and lasting peace. They galvanise support from across the globe to support the efforts of women working on the frontlines of the world’s most intractable conflicts. WPHF are supporting local women’s organisations in Afghanistan to sustain their work on the front lines of conflict and crisis.

What is the policing bill?

The Government's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (the Policing Act) came into effect in April 2022. This Act changes a variety of things such as police powers, judicial procedures and offender rehabilitation. It will also have a massive impact on human rights.

This Bill places significant limitations on the ability to peacefully protest which will greatly affect the ability of ordinary citizens to make their concerns heard. This bill is only one of the many ways human rights are being threatened worldwide.

Why do we need to protest?

Protesting is an important part of history with many protests such as the anti-slavery movement to the suffragettes and recent anti-war arches shaping our modern day.

The right to protest is fundamental to a free and a fair society. We need to protest because one action can spark a movement. It makes sure that human rights are acknowledged by the state. People have a complete right to protest peacefully and the state has a duty to respect and protect this right.

Is protest a human right?

While taking part in a protest, a person expresses various rights such as the right to the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Other rights which are necessary for a peaceful protest include the freedom of association and speech, freedom to privacy etc.

Therefore, rather than being categorised under a single law or right, the right to protest includes various different rights. These rights together provide protestors with protection.

What is Amnesty International doing to protect the right to protest?

Amnesty International launched a global campaign to confront the state’s efforts to take away our fundamental human rights in face of threat to the right to protest. When the right to protest is violated, the campaign will work to bring it to light and will support movements in their calls for accountability. We are making an active effort to support movements led by common citizens and activists by amplifying their voices. With hundreds of other groups, Amnesty International is calling for the Bill to be dropped.

Why do we need to protest?

The way police and other state authorities engage with protesters has become increasingly militarised since the early 2000s. The military forces are trained and equipped for war and defence and they should not have any place at protest. They should be trained in meditation and keeping people safe. The state tries to portray protestors as a threat to public safety, but in truth the use of police is just a way to intimidate people into silence.

You can also show your support and add your voice to the global call for the protest to be protect-