NEW DELHI: International Women's day is celebrated every year on March 8th to highlight the Women's rights movement across the planet. However, the women of Afghanistan have nothing to cheer about this year.
From being squeezed out of jobs to a ban on education, the ruling Taliban has enforced crippling restrictions to phase out women from the public domain. The new academic year which began on March 6th saw only men returning to class after the Taliban's ban on women in higher education was still in force.
"This is inhuman and devastating for us women, but we can do little to challenge the radical mindset. We have nothing to cheer about and can only wish that someday we too get a chance to celebrate women's day," says Nazia, an Afghan expat.
Ironically, less than a month back the Taliban government had highlighted the opening of two primary girls schools in Laghman which was made with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Adding insult to injury is the Taliban government deciding to annul the divorces of women who were in abusive marriages. The women who got legal separation under the US-backed government are the ones whose marriages are being annulled by the Taliban.
"Women are being forced to go back to their abusive husbands, as a result of which some are going into hiding. Women are living a nightmare in Afghanistan at present," Nazia added. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a joint statement of the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Afghanistan emphasised on the rights of women.
"We emphasised the formation of a truly inclusive and representative political structure that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures equal rights of women, girls and members of minority groups including access to education," the statement read.
These joint statements will have no impact on the way the Taliban mindset works and it will require a long drawn-out effort to grant women basic rights.
"Women and girls will not be silenced. Their demands for their rights and freedom echo around the globe. UN stands with women and girls everywhere," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Tuesday, during a session being held under the aegis of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67).
Taliban has also rejected the use of contraceptives, so it's only men who decide how many children they want. It’s a long road ahead for Afghan women to be accepted as fellow human beings, until then celebrating women's day will continue to be a mere dream.