Oscar-winning actor Meryl Streep has joined the global outcry against the Taliban’s treatment of women in Afghanistan, speaking at a discussion held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Streep criticized the Taliban government’s restrictions, stating, "A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan today because the public parks have been closed to women and girls by the Taliban."
The Taliban, which has enforced an extreme interpretation of Islamic law since reclaiming power in August 2021, has imposed increasingly harsh measures limiting the freedoms of women and girls. Streep highlighted the severe restrictions, saying, "A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not, and a woman may not in public."
She urged the international community to unite to help Afghan women, stressing, "I feel that the international community as a whole, if they came together, could affect change in Afghanistan, and stop the slow suffocation of an entire half (of) the population."
This codified law, often referred to as the "vice and virtue" law, dictates that women’s voices should not be raised outside their homes, and that women should refrain from singing or reading poetry aloud. Furthermore, the law requires women to fully cover their bodies and faces when leaving their homes, which they are only permitted to do under "necessary" circumstances.
The Taliban government, yet to be recognized by any other country, has continued to impose these severe restrictions despite growing international criticism. Their formalization of the "vice and virtue" law has only intensified global outrage, with various rights groups condemning the codification of these repressive policies.
Fawzia Koofi, a former Afghan parliament member, expressed a sense of hope in being able to speak about Afghan women's suffering on such an international platform. However, she also stressed the need for more concrete measures, stating, "But it's not enough," and calling for the appointment of a UN special envoy to apply pressure on the Taliban government to address the gender-based restrictions.
Guterres also discussed the broader benefits of women's participation in society, saying, "Women’s participation and leadership has proven benefits for peace and security, social protection, environmental stability, and more." He noted that Afghanistan is currently facing challenges in all these areas, reinforcing the need for inclusive policies that ensure women’s rights are protected.
Women have been barred from traveling without a male guardian, and beauty salons, once seen as a space of relative freedom, have been shut down. Most girls are prohibited from attending high school, and women are forbidden from entering universities. These measures have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community and human rights organizations.
Despite these challenges, the Taliban claim that they are respecting women's rights as per their interpretation of Islamic law. In 2022, the group’s supreme spiritual leader issued a decree governing women’s morality, which the Taliban’s morality ministry is now enforcing.
Streep's message was clear: the suppression of Afghan women is not just a national issue but a global one, and urgent international intervention is necessary to address the worsening situation.
(With inputs from AFP)
The Taliban, which has enforced an extreme interpretation of Islamic law since reclaiming power in August 2021, has imposed increasingly harsh measures limiting the freedoms of women and girls. Streep highlighted the severe restrictions, saying, "A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not, and a woman may not in public."
She urged the international community to unite to help Afghan women, stressing, "I feel that the international community as a whole, if they came together, could affect change in Afghanistan, and stop the slow suffocation of an entire half (of) the population."
Taliban's Restrictions Codified into Law
Since their return to power, the Taliban has significantly curtailed the rights of women and girls, implementing policies that the United Nations has labeled as "gender apartheid." Women have been banned from public parks, barred from singing in public, and prohibited from attending universities. In August 2023, the Taliban formalized these measures into a widely criticized law, further tightening restrictions.This codified law, often referred to as the "vice and virtue" law, dictates that women’s voices should not be raised outside their homes, and that women should refrain from singing or reading poetry aloud. Furthermore, the law requires women to fully cover their bodies and faces when leaving their homes, which they are only permitted to do under "necessary" circumstances.
The Taliban government, yet to be recognized by any other country, has continued to impose these severe restrictions despite growing international criticism. Their formalization of the "vice and virtue" law has only intensified global outrage, with various rights groups condemning the codification of these repressive policies.
Afghan Women's Rights Advocates Demand Global Action
During the UN event, Afghan women leaders also spoke out, urging the international community to stand with them in their fight for basic rights. Asila Wardak, a leader of the Women’s Forum on Afghanistan, emphasized that the fight for Afghan women's rights extends beyond the country's borders, saying, "This fight is not only an Afghan fight, but a global fight against extremism."Fawzia Koofi, a former Afghan parliament member, expressed a sense of hope in being able to speak about Afghan women's suffering on such an international platform. However, she also stressed the need for more concrete measures, stating, "But it's not enough," and calling for the appointment of a UN special envoy to apply pressure on the Taliban government to address the gender-based restrictions.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Calls for Women’s Empowerment
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also addressed the issue at the same event, highlighting the detrimental effects of the Taliban's discrimination against women on Afghanistan’s social and economic progress. Guterres pointed out the critical role of education in shaping a nation’s future, stating, "Educating girls is one of the fastest ways to kick-start economic development and improve the health, well-being, and prosperity of communities and entire societies."Guterres also discussed the broader benefits of women's participation in society, saying, "Women’s participation and leadership has proven benefits for peace and security, social protection, environmental stability, and more." He noted that Afghanistan is currently facing challenges in all these areas, reinforcing the need for inclusive policies that ensure women’s rights are protected.
Taliban’s Takeover and the International Response
The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 after U.S.-led forces withdrew, ending 20 years of conflict. Since then, the Taliban has gradually rolled back many of the freedoms that women and girls had gained over the past two decades, enforcing a strict interpretation of Islamic law.Women have been barred from traveling without a male guardian, and beauty salons, once seen as a space of relative freedom, have been shut down. Most girls are prohibited from attending high school, and women are forbidden from entering universities. These measures have drawn widespread condemnation from the international community and human rights organizations.
Despite these challenges, the Taliban claim that they are respecting women's rights as per their interpretation of Islamic law. In 2022, the group’s supreme spiritual leader issued a decree governing women’s morality, which the Taliban’s morality ministry is now enforcing.
Meryl Streep Urges Unified Global Action
Streep’s powerful speech, in which she also likened the restrictions on women in Afghanistan to those faced by animals, was a plea for global solidarity. She pointed to the Taliban’s actions as a warning for the rest of the world, stating, "The way that this society has been upended is a cautionary tale for the rest of the world."Streep's message was clear: the suppression of Afghan women is not just a national issue but a global one, and urgent international intervention is necessary to address the worsening situation.
(With inputs from AFP)
