Afghan girls detained and lashed by Taliban for violating hijab rules
GuardianJan 01
Report: Afghan Girls Abused by Taliban After Hijab Violation Arrests
Above: Afghan women learn how to embroid at a workshop sponsored by the Malaysian NGO Mercy on April 15, 2010 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Image copyright: Majid Saeedi/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A report from Afghan news service Zan Times alleges that young Afghan women and teenagers were sexually assaulted by the Taliban while in detention for violating the country's dress requirements.
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has rolled back women's rights in the country — including a 2022 decree mandating that women wear a full-body burqa that leaves only their eyes exposed.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Taliban has instituted a system of gender apartheid in Afghanistan, and these reports show just how deep and pervasive systemic misogyny is. Women are being sexually abused in detention for arbitrary dress code violations, which the Taliban has attempted to keep hidden. The US and UN must leverage the Taliban to fight terrorism while upholding women's fundamental rights.
Establishment-critical narrative
The global community must be pragmatic about the Taliban and the status of women in Afghanistan. While it may be painful to concede legal and cultural differences, Washington and the UN must engage with the Taliban in good faith for the sake of security and cooperation. Cautious and constructive engagement of the Taliban is the best past forward for Afghan society.