Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan – Will the lives of Women in Afghanistan stay the same?

Currently in power, the Taliban became notorious internationally for their misogynistic treatment and violence against women.

With the return of the Taliban, millions of Afghan women fear a return of an oppressive past. Before the U.S ousted the Taliban, women were banned from working outside their houses, leaving their houses without a male guardian, schooling for girls was abolished and publicly punished those who went against the group’s morality code.

In a press conference with a Taliban official, he assured Afghan women that there will be no violence and prejudice against them again. However, the notion that the Taliban will suddenly change its ways has been greeted with deep skepticism as several areas have already shown signs of reimposing the old order.

The future of Afghan women is bleak as they can no longer pursue their education and career goals – all their hard work went down the drain overnight.

The issue under discussion is whether the Taliban’s interpretation of the Islamic law will repress women’s rights as when the group first held power. Afghanistan’s women and girls have enjoyed a measure of freedom in the last 20 years and are now demanding more. Neither peace nor chaos is certain at this point, as the Taliban forces gradually exercise their influence across the country.