Many Afghan women are terrified since their liberty may be taken away soon if the Taliban finally win control over the country. In Afghanistan, dozens of women and girls have been assassinated since 2001.
In this context, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) published a list of the 29 prohibitions that they must comply with after the Taliban advance. It is the oldest political-social organization of Afghan women. As they explain, "they have fought for peace, freedom, democracy and women's rights in an Afghanistan devastated by fundamentalism since 1977." Some of these points include things such as not being able to work, not going out without a male presence, or even practicing sports. Severe punishments are in place for women who do not comply with this, such as whippings.
Journalist Anisseh Shahid is one of the thousands of women in this situation. To this day, Shahid has not given up and left the country because she thinks that there are too many stories to tell.
This year she was awarded, being named “Reporter of the year” from Journalists Without Borders, an organization that highlighted her courage at the time for being a woman and a reporter in a country like Afghanistan.
Shahid has covered stories such as a shooting attack in a Kabul Hospital and the inefficiency of the Afghan government when it comes to handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Her ongoing courage and resilience are truly an inspiration for everyone.
Bibliography
Graham-Harrison, E., et. al. (2021, September 3) Evidence contradicts Taliban’s claim to respect women’s rights. [Photograph]. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/03/afghanistan-women-defiant-amid-taliban-crackdown
N.A. (2021, August 14) Afghanistan: Journalist Anisa Shaheed refuses to give in to Taliban. BBC. [Photograph]. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-58175088
N.A. (n.d.) Anisseh Shahid- Afghanistan. Reporters without Borders. https://rsf.org/en/anisseh-shahid
N.A. (n.d.) Shocking violence against Afghan women reveals a crisis in status of Afghan men. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/shocking-violence-against-afghan-women-reveals-a-crisis-in-status-of-afghan-men-39360
N.A. (2021, August 17) Estas son las 29 restricciones y maltratos que sufren las mujeres bajo el régimen talibán. La Nación. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/estas-son-las-29-restricciones-y-maltratos-que-sufren-las-mujeres-bajo-el-regimen-taliban-nid17082021/