Main content

What Will Happen to Afghan Women When the US Leaves?

The US and the Taliban say they’ve made significant progress towards ending the war in Afghanistan. But with foreign forces gone, will women's hard-won rights survive?

The United States and the Taliban say they have made significant progress towards ending the war in Afghanistan, with the deal expected to include a withdrawal of foreign forces. In return, the Taliban would agree not to shelter terrorists. But what will that mean for Afghan society? The Taliban’s denial of women's rights is well documented. With foreign forces gone, will women's hard-won rights survive? Can outsiders protect those rights once they have left, or is Afghan civil society now strong enough to take up the fight?

This week Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of experts to discuss how the US pullout will leave Afghan women.

Available now

53 minutes

Photo

Afghan schoolgirlsCredit: Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Contributors

Panellists:


Fawzia Koofi - Afghan MP

Quhramaana Kakar - Peace activist and visiting fellow at the London School of Economics

Aaron O’Connell - Professor, University of Texas and former National Security staffer in the Obama Administration.


Also featuring:

Negin Khpalwak - Afghan musician

Zabihullah Mujahid - Taliban spokesman

Broadcasts

  • Fri 1 Feb 2019 09:06GMT
  • Sat 2 Feb 2019 00:06GMT
  • Sat 2 Feb 2019 04:06GMT

The Real Story Podcast

Subscribe via your favourite podcast app...

Podcast