Despite assurances of dignity from Taliban, Afghan women have everything to lose
FirstpostThe absence of women in those crazy scenes at the airport this week, for me, portended a continuation of their long story of silent bravery and resilience This April, a report by the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission stated that 14 women had been killed and 22 wounded since January in targeted attacks, even as the Taliban and the now-deposed Afghan government continued ‘peace talks’ in Doha. How quickly the Afghan armed forces wilted before the advancing Taliban came as a shock to everyone—especially the Afghans themselves and the US. Had the US concentrated on recruiting and training more women combatants in the Afghan armed forces, would the Taliban have had such an easy run? Once upon a time, the Western powers in Afghanistan aimed to have women comprise 10 percent of the Afghan security forces and went on a vigorous recruitment promotion campaign.