Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the country’s economy has all but collapsed, with most of the population now suffering from shortages of food, clean water, and shelter. Millions may die from starvation in the coming months. All of Afghanistan is suffering. Yet Afghan women and girls are facing a particularly dire situation under the ‘new’ Taliban regime.
All the hard-won gains and civil liberties fought for by Afghan women over the past 20 years have disappeared almost overnight. Before the takeover, women made up over 20 percent of Afghanistan’s workforce. Today, they are prevented from participating in public life, working or pursuing an education above a 6th grade level.
After International Women’s Day, the international community – including Canada – needs to take stock of what’s happening to Afghan women and girls under the Taliban regime and find the moral courage to do something about it. When the brave people of Afghanistan languish under such terrible conditions, we should not settle for policies that are easy and expedient.
To shed light on this issue, MLI hosted a panel of experts to discuss the plight of women in Afghanistan and what can be done about it.
