The Taliban governance of 1996-2001 caused Afghanistan to become one of the most dangerous countries for women; the unjust rules and regulations they implemented on women and girls created a patriarchal society with little to no say of the female segment.
As Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan falls into the hands of the Taliban once again, panic is instilled in the hearts of all citizens, especially women, as the uncertainty of their futures looms before them.
The moment the Taliban took control of most of the country once more, their Shariah directives upon women were implemented again and rumors began to spread regarding how they were being treated with the Taliban back in the country.
Some sources claim that the Taliban are going door-to-door to seize and forcibly ‘marry’ girls as young as 15 and that they have asked the Imams of each area to bring them a list of unmarried girls for their soldiers to marry; the age requirement of the women ranged from over 15 with the inclusion of widows below 45.
According to a local resident mother, Gulpari, “The Taliban asked to marry our daughters to them. They said if a house had two daughters, at least one should be given in marriage to the Taliban.”
Furthermore, it was when the Taliban came for her daughters that Gulpari abandoned her home of more than 20 years and escaped with her children in the dead of night.
The Taliban have now implemented a strict rule of wearing the hijab at all costs, as it was during their last regime; it is deemed a compulsion for women and girls of all ages. Women cannot leave their homes without at least one male escort (relative) by their side either. This is acting as an immense problem for single mothers and other women who are the breadwinners of the family and do not have any male relatives to rely on.
Furthermore, some sources state that women working in the offices of Azizi Bank within the city of Kandahar were ordered to leave the premises. The Taliban officers escorted 9 women home and directed them to not return to their jobs; instead, they told them to send male relatives to replace their positions at the bank as women would not be allowed to further carry out such occupations. Similar incidences were being reported from different cities as well, such as Herat.
“It’s really strange to not be allowed to get to work, but now this is what it is,”
Noor Khatera, a 43-year-old woman who had worked in the accounts department of the bank stated.
While the women are submerged in fear and confusion, the men and children are terrorized as well. In several video clips, many citizens can be seen fleeing Kabul and other cities in order to escape the government of the Taliban before they embed their directives upon the country. Airports are being flooded, with people trying to climb the airplane doors, hang from the wheels and push through the plane doors in order to ensure a flight to safety.
