Living in a Nest with Rattlesnakes, Afghans Women Not Submitting Quietly under the Taliban.

In 2021, the world watched sombrely at the rapid collapse of Kabul by the Taliban. Many claimed it was a shock but considering the two-decade-long military presence, withdrawal of troops and existing government failures, it was no surprise. In retrospect, it created a power vacuum and the perfect conditions for the Taliban, who patiently waited to exploit. Their ability to leverage force, intimidate and even promise stability so long as it’s under their version of Sharia law left Afghans hopeless simply because there was no other choice. 

The world community watched as its leaders and NGOs were promoted to find resolutions to urgent questions and the broader implications for regional stability and global security. However, the invasion of Ukraine quickly grabbed the front covers and took tremendous pressure to recognise the failures of the invasion and the future of women’s rights. 

In the Western world, as women’s roles in society became further solidified due to their tremendous roles on the frontlines of COVID-19, In Afghanistan, all the hopes of better days were shattered. 

Nearly three years later, all the “progress” those argued to justify the invasion have dissolved, instead replaced with the draconian decrees mandating every aspect of Afghan women’s lives. However, there is a difference this time, as many Afghan women fight back on a knife edge for their inclusion in society, essentially living in a nest with rattlesnakes, knowing the move they move, the more likely they are to get bitten yet willing to take the risk.

In Afghan women’s manifestation of resistance, they have fought hard for the realm of education. Across the country, well-constructed underground networks of female educators and students persist. These women cultivate knowledge in clandestine classrooms and makeshift libraries, nurturing the seeds of defiance against ignorance and tyranny and knowing the tremendous risks that transcend their own life. 

Despite complete isolation from political participation, they continue to force themselves into political processes through grassroots activism and advocacy campaigns and even amplify their voices in protest on the streets—an almost guaranteed way of imprisonment, punishment or even death. However, in collective solidarity, Afghan women draw strength from each other, inspiring both within their country and those looking on. 

Afghan women’s bravery is not an appetite for fear and suffering but a desire for freedom and opportunity for future generations. In the age of multiple wars in Gaza and Ukraine and short attention spans, we must continue to expose not only the struggle of the women in Afghanistan but also their bravery and perseverance. Afghan women are at the forefront of advocating for women’s rights, which only exist when they are a right for all.