The Women of Afghanistan by Paridhi Biyani

This is an article inspired by the Untold Stories organisation. Their mission “Write Afghanistan” focuses on providing support to women writers who are hampered because of cultural norms, displacement, and political instability- as they believe a country’s upheaval cannot be understood without understanding the perspectives of the ones on the cultural frontlines- especially the women.


Women in Afghanistan

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Two years ago, at 11 a.m. on August 15, 2021, my entire life cracked. It fell to the floor without a noise, breaking into a thousand shards. I try to pick up the broken pieces, but the sharp edges cut my hands. I do not make a sound, for it is prohibited. My presence is worthless to these demons, and I cannot do anything about it. The blood flows freely now, and I do nothing to stop it. Living is almost worse than dying, because how does one live without hope? I bleed through layers of grief, sorrow, and misery. My hands shake and I sink into the depths of despair as I see decades of progress and prosperity be wiped with a single sentence. The Taliban has taken over and all our lives are once more battlefields.

In sharp contrast, I remember the relief which came over me twenty years ago once I realised I was free- free to make my own choices, free to study, free to work! Now, that freedom has been cruelly snatched away from me in the guise of religion. What was once my lifeline has become the rope with which my hands are bound. I have to bite my tongue, otherwise, I too will vanish in their prisons like my braver sisters- who dared to dream and speak out. Girls are denied education, a basic human right, and are forced into marriages as young as 13. My heart coils around me, making it hard to breathe as I see packs of young girls coming home crying, unable to understand why their schools had shut down, why they were not allowed to learn anymore. My soul is weighed down, and I do not know what to do when all the government makes is empty promises and threats filled with violence.

My friends and I have burnt our books and trampled over our minds’ creations. We do not dream of rescue, just of survival. We only hope to not die while walking home, only for these atrocious acts to stop. Freedom is a far-fetched dream for us, and returning to normalcy - an impossible feat. We have been living in acute poverty ever since the takeover. I rise before dawn to line up at food distribution centres. Today, I saw a woman who used to work in the Ministry of Culture with me. An accomplished woman, with a master's degree, was denied a job solely on the basis of gender. Thousands of us women used to work with the government and peacekeeping organisations. However, times have changed, and the Taliban finds no use for us in the functioning of their savage regime. Domestic abuse has been normalised. With zero jobs, violence at home has become more and more commonplace. I pray for the less fortunate, hoping that it will incite some hope in me, and god will help them.


Women are treated like prisoners in their homeland, unable to enjoy life with all its gifts and richness. Instead, they are threatened and subdued into submission or forced to flee. The ones who try to get out of the country rarely succeed, and even if they do, they are faced with the heartbreaking proposition of never seeing their family and loved ones again. The ones who cannot escape, are subject to harsh restrictions. Their rights have been obliterated without a thought spared for the dreams and ambitions of young girls. Women are not allowed to attend universities or teach at them. Their employment opportunities have dipped to an all-time low. This is the state of every woman in the country.

To be a woman in Afghanistan right now is to be a survivor. Survivors who have endured heinous crimes, had their fundamental human rights violated, and, most distressingly, have been left in a state of vulnerability during an era of affluence and well-being. These brave women had to watch their hard earned liberty disappear in a matter of 24 hours. They had to watch the democracy that protected their rights, break down in a matter of minutes. Women activists in and outside the Taliban continue to work earnestly for the security and upliftment of women in adverse conditions. They have proved themselves to be the most steadfast, resourceful women in the world with their unbreaking resilience and strength.

The world needs to take cognisance of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. It needs to acknowledge the brave Afghan women and voice their concerns. The world must help them stand up to the Taliban’s vicious regime. Every country must honour its moral responsibility to help each other in times of hardship. Humanity must come through and help the sun rise on the dark forces of cruelty and brutality.

Image: pexels dot com


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