The scenes of thousands of Afghans frantically begging for support and running for refuge as the Taliban solidified rule over Afghanistan for the very first time since 2001 have been broadcast throughout the world and left it reeling.

As the news broke, it wasn't long before Pakistani human rights and girls' education and learning supporter Malala Yousafzai took to social media sites to raise worry over the occupation of the Taliban, knowing all too well what the group's rule might imply for women and girls.

"We watch in total shock as Taliban takes control of Afghanistan," she stated on Twitter. "I'm deeply stressed over women, minorities and human rights supporters. Global, local and regional powers should call for an immediate ceasefire, offer immediate humanitarian help and shield refugees and civilians," she said.

The Taliban takeover came after global forces withdrew from Afghanistan, with the Unified States formally starting to withdraw in May 2021. The militant group has since taken control of the country city by city, ultimately occupying the capital Kabul on Sunday. Afghanistan's leadership, specifically Head of state Ashraf Ghan, had fled the country and millions of Afghans are looking for asylum.

The Taliban — that initially assumed control of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul in 1996, are currently imposing their interpretation of Islamic Law and executing stringent regulations that hindered the humanitarian legal civil liberties of vulnerable communities — have declared that they are interested in an inclusive government, a peaceful takeover and writing laws that will take into account women's rights.

Nevertheless there have already been reports of limiting conditions on women, and females being required to stop working by the militant group, begging the question of whether the Taliban will do as they said and support certain legal civil liberties for women, or whether women's rights remain in serious risk.

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Monica Lindenhof
Email: [email protected]
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