IIPM-Press:- DIDN’T WE DEFEAT TALIBAN?

TALIBAN MIND-SET UNDEFEATED..

The helplessness that marks the ‘eyes’ of the woman photographed twice in the span of 17 years by National Geographic remains the same even after the time lag. Aptly reflected in them is the unaltered position of women even in post-Taliban Afghanistan. They remain as humiliated as before, with their honour compromised and their socio-economic positioning fragmented. According to the UN and the Human Rights Watch, the attacks on girls’ schools have increased considerably post-Taliban, reducing the female student intake in secondary education to 5% in comparison to 20% of boys. The UN contends that about 300 schools educating girls were burned down post-Taliban. In another incident in May 2006, a female legislator, Malalai Joya, was attacked by her colleagues for ‘daring’ to participate in the male domain – Parliament! That Parliament, mind you, was formed after decimating Taliban!

The Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission even contends that about 38% of women are wedded forcibly and about 50% are subjected to domestic violence leading to high number of suicides and self-immolation. Clearly, it is not the Taliban philosophy, but the culture of demeaning women that has to change. And for this, it is urgently required that women are integrated into all sections of governance in Afghanistan, as well as being provided social development.

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Source:- IIPM-Business and Economy, Editor:- Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri - 2006