Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government should end decades of war in the country. But since the talks started last year in the Qatari capital Doha, the number of attacks on Afghan civilians has increased significantly. Women activists and journalists are particularly targeted.
As a result, many Afghan women fear that their rights they fought so hard for will be taken away if the Taliban and the Afghan government make a deal and rule together. “The Taliban have not changed, they still have the same ideology,” said women’s activist Rada Akbar. “They will again place the same restrictions on women as when they were in power before.”
According to activist Freshta Karim, the position of women in Afghanistan has improved significantly in recent years. “The most important thing is that men and women are now equal according to the constitution. Women are allowed to go to school and can work, we are now visible in all layers of society.” This was unthinkable when the strict Islamic Taliban were in charge between 1996 and 2001.
Taking away ideals
But since the start of the peace talks, the position of women has deteriorated and they are increasingly targeted. At the beginning of this month, three more female journalists were murdered. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch is also ringing the alarm and says that the targeted murders are intended to expel women from public life.
Karim is saddened by the situation in her country. “Our freedoms are being curtailed again and the problem is that people dare to speak out less and less because of the increasing attacks and targeted murders.”
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Any woman who is educated and can bring hope and change is a potential target.
The activist recently came across her name on a Taliban death list circulating on social media. She doesn’t know if the list is real, but it is a shock. “Any woman who is educated and who can bring hope and change is a potential target. They want to take away from us the ideal we have – an Afghanistan where everyone is equal.”
While the Taliban often deny having anything to do with the attacks, the Afghan government and America blame the group for the recent wave of violence. Investigations and trial often fail to materialize.
‘Talibanization’ of education
The Afghan government itself is increasingly trying to impose restrictions on women, Akbar says. “We are not only in conflict with the Taliban, but also with our own government.” Last week, the Afghan Ministry of Education issued a singing ban for girls from the age of 12.
According to Ahmad Sarmast, founder of the National Music Institute in Kabul, this could be an attempt at the “Talibanization” of the education system. Sarmast points out that the Taliban banned music and girls’ education while in power. He was himself injured in a 2014 attack by the Taliban. A suicide bomber blew himself up right behind him at a concert in Kabul.
“The song ban clearly shows that some politicians within the Afghan government are trying to pave the way for the Taliban,” said Sarmast. “Since the peace talks, a lot has changed politically. Some would like to see the Taliban in charge again and try to secure a place for themselves in the event of a deal. This ban can therefore be seen as a test to see if Afghan society is willing to take a step back. “
But the Afghans are certainly not. Women’s activists – and basically anyone who opposes the strict-Islamic Taliban – revolted en masse via an online protest campaign initiated by Sarmast. Under the hashtag #IamMSong, women and girls posted videos on social media singing their favorite songs.
The ban was reversed and the Afghan government has now spoken of a misunderstanding. But it is not the only example. A few months ago, the Ministry of Education decided to teach all primary school students in the mosque again. That decision also met with great resistance and was eventually revoked.
Peace talks
Still, activist Karim believes in the peace talks. “Talking is the only way to achieve peace, but it should be more about the vulnerable.” The activists therefore all stress the importance of more women participating in the peace negotiations.
The Afghan government has included four women in its 21-member negotiating team, the Taliban not one. Karim: “We need to have a stronger voice in the negotiations to guarantee our rights.” Until that happens, Afghan women fear for their future and fear that a new civil war is not out of the question.
