Report- Diversity Talk: Frauen in Afghanistan – Das Schweigen brechen

Many thanks to Shoura Hashemi-Zehetner for the insight into a country in which the female half of the population is denied any rights. A country with over 40 million inhabitants that, after decades as a theatre of war, is firmly in the hands of the Taliban, who deny women not only education and healthcare, job opportunities and political engagement, but also singing and ‘speaking out loud’, forcing them to wear full-body veils instead. One can only imagine how the former female judges and university professors, (female) members of government and teachers, doctors and midwives now earn their living, while basic health care has for some time now only been maintained by international aid programmes such as Doctors Without Borders. The catastrophic effects of a ban on training and working for female doctors and midwives in a country where women are only allowed to be examined and treated by female doctors were also of great concern to the participants in the Diversity Talk. In addition to the disregard for all human rights, the short-sightedness of such decrees issued by the Taliban government is also astonishing. It remains to be seen whether the current international rapprochement between states, which may end in public recognition of the Taliban regime, can help here. Is it more likely that European and Asian states will push for the forced return of people who have only just escaped this regime? Or is there really something to the Taliban's promises that they want to extend the rights of women and girls once they have been recognised?

Regardless of the international intrigues and speculation, it is, as always, the people on the ground who are bravely standing up to the restrictions on a daily basis. Despite the very serious threat of physical punishment and even the death penalty for ‘misbehaviour’, former female teachers and professors in illegal online underground schools are trying to provide the girls with at least a minimum level of education. Another small ray of hope, at least for those who have made the life-threatening journey to Europe due to the lack of legal escape routes, is the ECJ's judgement that for women from Afghanistan, the mere fact that they are female is sufficient grounds for asylum. This recognises the fact that they are denied basic rights in Afghanistan solely because of their gender.

Even though the situation in a country where more than half of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid is not exactly encouraging, Shoura Hashemi-Zehetner appeals to us not to give up on the people of Afghanistan. Knowing, informing themselves and talking about it is already a start - and organisations like Anmesty International, for example, also support the few remaining women's organisations that make educational opportunities for girls possible, for example. Afghan women are ready to take back their share of the responsibility. Will they be able to?