鈥業ncredible courage鈥� of Afghan women
Human rights campaigner says Afghans are 鈥榯rying to preserve light in any way they can鈥�
Afghan human rights campaigner Shaharzad Akbar says women in Afghanistan 鈥榓re surrounded by darkness鈥� and 鈥榰nable to live their lives and aspirations鈥� because of the restrictions forced on them by the Taliban regime.
Speaking to 麻豆约拍 HARDtalk, Ms Akbar said women were 鈥榯rying to preserve light in any way they can鈥� and 鈥榯rying to do what it takes to stay alive, beyond just breathing, to have a sense of agency and power in a very difficult situation.鈥�
In 2021, US and UK forces withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban returned to power. Driven by religious extremism, the new regime has banned girls from secondary school education and curtailed women鈥檚 freedom to be economically active.
Shaharzad Akbar oversaw the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission but was forced into exile when the Taliban returned. Now based in the UK, she is the executive director of Rawadari, a charity which monitors and documents human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
She says Afghan woman are finding their own ways to resist the Taliban鈥檚 repression and protect their rights. 鈥楽ome of them are pursuing education, some of them are going on the streets. Some of them are trying to negotiate with the Taliban and find a way to protect their own work,鈥� she says.
Women in Afghanistan face the threat of violence and imprisonment for their resistance. Ms Akbar says they show 鈥榠ncredible courage鈥� and 鈥榯heir stories about how they are finding ways to continue is always an inspiration, is always a hope.鈥�
