Afghanistan’s women: Life under Taliban restrictions
‘Everybody is trying to grasp something that gives them hope, and that hope is getting eliminated on a daily basis.’
When the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in August 2021, it sought to reassure Afghans and the international community that the rights of women and girls would be respected and that they would remain active members of Afghan society.
Nearly a year and a half later, however, the situation for women and girls in the country is dire.
The Taliban has effectively barred women and girls from secondary schools and universities. It has restricted their employment, and even altogether banned their presence in many public spaces.
But as former Afghan ambassador to the United States, Adela Raz, tells Marc Lamont Hill, Afghan families are still “trying”.
“Each single family inside the country are still trying, and knocking every single door to find a way for their daughters to go and study,” Raz says.
So, what does this mean for the future of Afghanistan? And is there any hope in sight for Afghan women?
On UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill speaks to Raz, the current director of Princeton University’s Afghanistan Policy Lab.