The Taliban’s Return is Catastrophic for Women
Diversity, Inclusion & EquitySummary
Photojournalist Lynsey Addario witnesses the lives and struggles of Afghan women over two decades. When the Taliban first came to power in the mid-1990s, the group’s interpretation of the Sharia law (the Islamic law) had mired women’s lives in taboos. It ranges from allowing women to leave home only with a male guardian, restricting clothing choice to Burkas (a traditional modesty garment that fully covers one’s body), to banning access to education, work and any mixed-gender socialization outside the family.
To some, it is the American invasion that opens up an opportunity to rebuild their country’s system. For women, it is the invasion that offers Afghan women a temporary taste of freedom. Without the Taliban's presence, they could realize their potential by attending schools, working outside the home and fit in whatever role they want to be. As the Taliban regain control of the region, many worry that the progress over the last twenty years will slowly disappear, prompting the country to fall back to its old state. But despite the overarching fear, hopes are remaining in the new generation of Afghan women who are raised with liberty, for them to showcase strength and resilience.