Link to article: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/sep/11/afghan-women-summit-taliban-albania
Afghan women recently had a law made against them by the Taliban that prevented them from being able to speak in public or show any skin outside. This has come after continuous depletion of human rights for women under the three year reign of the Taliban including being prohibited from paid work, walking in public parks and the legalization of stoning. In retaliation to this new law, Afghan women, led by the organization Women for Afghanistan, met for a three day summit September 11-14 in order to discuss how they would be able to hold the Taliban accountable for the horror they are causing. Many women were prohibited from attending by being apprehended while trying to leave the country, however, women from all over the globe were successful in meeting in Albania. The women are attempting to do this on an international scale by setting hopeful demands for the international community on how to respond to the Taliban since they are not fully equipped to do so alone. The 130 women meeting come from different views and backgrounds and do not expect to agree on all, but want to end with a united voice that has an impact.
I think this article is extremely important because it shows the oppressive culture some women live in. In the US, I think women’s rights are taken for granted and it isn’t fully realized how women in other parts of the world are forced to live. I think that this summit will create greater repercussions for Afghan women as of right now, but will hopefully make a change for the future. I think it will also allow for other women in other countries that lack women’s rights to be inspired and want to create change for their lives. I don’t see this summit making a huge impact in Afghanistan right now because of how much power the Taliban has and what means they are willing to use, but I think it’s very important for these women to make their voice heard and making the direct action to involve other countries.
I believe the Taliban will respond by being even more strict in their enforcement of their laws in order to prohibit any protests or revolts. However, I don’t think Afghan women will respond strongly in their own country because of how oppressed they are and the severe consequences they would have to face. I think that it will impact women on a smaller scale by making them think about the possibility of being free and they will start to realize it’s possible and they are allowed to want that, however, I don’t think immediate action will be taken or any extreme action taken without the help of outside military forces. This connects to class by recognizing the Taliban as both a government and terrorist force that must be dealt with by other countries. It also connects how countries (Albania) work with NGOs such as Women for Afghanistan.