The Journey of Afghan Women: From Freedom to Shadows, and a Warning for the World

Not so long ago, Afghan women walked the streets of Kabul in colourful clothing, attended universities, held positions in government, and enjoyed many freedoms similar to those in the Western world. But in the span of just a few years, their lives have drastically changed. Today, Afghan women are forced to wear full coverings, denied education, restricted from employment, and subjected to an oppressive regime that has made them nearly invisible in public life.

This devastating shift serves as a powerful warning about the fragility of women’s rights everywhere. It raises a sobering question: could something like this happen elsewhere, even in places like the UK, Europe, or the United States? With governments around the world showing alarming tendencies to curtail women’s rights, the story of Afghan women offers a stark reminder that progress is not guaranteed—and, in fact, can be swiftly erased.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Afghanistan was a country where women enjoyed substantial rights. They were not only visible but integral to society. Women studied at universities, held jobs, and contributed to various sectors, from education and healthcare to government and business. They wore whatever they chose, their fashion reflecting both tradition and modernity.

This period was not without its challenges, but it marked a time when women in Afghanistan were moving towards a future of equality. They were encouraged to pursue their aspirations and dreams, and society largely supported their advancement. However, decades of conflict and political upheaval gradually eroded these freedoms. When the Taliban took power in the 1990s, Afghanistan regressed, with harsh restrictions placed on women’s rights.

With the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Afghan women once again found their voice and place in society, albeit in a more cautious, hard-fought way. They joined parliament, practised law, became doctors and teachers, and participated in the media. But today, after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, those hard-won rights have been stripped away once again.

Since the Taliban regained control, the repression of Afghan women has intensified. Education for girls has been banned beyond primary school, women are barred from most jobs, and even travel is restricted without a male chaperone. Women are forced to wear the burqa or hijab in public, erasing their individuality and turning them into anonymous figures, hidden from society and stripped of their agency. Many women who once held leadership roles are now left at home, enduring an endless cycle of domestic confinement and isolation.

The current situation paints a haunting picture. Afghan women are being systematically removed from public life, and the younger generation has been denied a future that even remotely resembles freedom. International calls for intervention have largely gone unanswered, leaving Afghan women to suffer under laws that rob them of their dignity, autonomy, and dreams.

It may be tempting to think that such drastic oppression could never happen in countries like the UK or across Europe. Yet, the story of Afghan women is a reminder that freedoms, once taken for granted, can be taken away. Women’s rights are under siege globally, with attempts to roll back protections and impose restrictive laws surfacing in various forms.

In the UK, we have seen policies that disproportionately impact women, whether through limitations on reproductive rights or a lack of adequate support for survivors of domestic violence. Women’s healthcare, particularly around issues like maternity care and mental health, remains woefully underfunded. Political rhetoric that vilifies women in leadership or downplays issues of gender-based violence sends a dangerous message about the value placed on women’s lives and rights

.

Governments worldwide continue to make decisions that impact women’s autonomy, from restricting access to abortion to underfunding essential support services. These decisions chip away at the freedoms women in Western countries have come to expect. What may seem like small legislative changes or minor funding cuts can pave the way for larger, more oppressive measures down the line

Across the world, countries once considered progressive are facing a rollback of rights that many thought were secure. In the United States, for example, the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade stripped millions of women of their right to abortion, sparking a wave of restrictive policies across multiple states.

While the UK hasn’t seen such extreme measures, we are not immune. Restrictions on healthcare, inadequate protections against domestic violence, and the persistent gender pay gap highlight the ongoing struggles women face.

The fight for women’s rights is not static, and as Afghan women’s experiences show us, rights can disappear overnight if left unprotected. If we ignore the warning signs, we risk a future where the freedoms we enjoy today could be drastically curtailed. Women’s issues are frequently dismissed as “secondary” or “special interest” topics, but at their core, they are about fundamental human rights. When we fail to protect these rights, we erode the foundation of equality, freedom, and justice for all.

Afghan women’s experiences highlight the need for vigilance, solidarity, and action. If women in Western countries are to safeguard their freedoms, they must not only advocate for their own rights but also show solidarity with women globally. By staying informed, holding leaders accountable, and supporting organisations that work to protect and expand women’s rights, we can work to ensure that regression doesn’t take hold.

Now more than ever, women and allies must unite to resist policies and rhetoric that undermine women’s autonomy. The story of Afghan women is both a call to action and a reminder of what’s at stake. When women’s rights are on the line, it is everyone’s responsibility to stand up, speak out, and ensure that we do not slip into a future where women, once again, are rendered invisible.

The Afghan women who once walked freely now exist as shadows, robbed of their voices and place in society. It is a grim reminder of the price we pay when women’s rights are left unprotected. The freedoms we cherish in the UK and beyond are not guaranteed, and if we are not careful, they too could be eroded.

We owe it to ourselves, to future generations, and to the countless Afghan women who no longer have a voice, to remain vigilant. It’s not just about preserving rights for today—it’s about ensuring that every woman, no matter where she lives, has the freedom to live a life of dignity, equality, and autonomy. As Afghan women show us, those rights are not only worth fighting for—they are essential to a just and free world.