Just before the New Year, the Taliban caused an uproar locally and internationally. In a decree from the movement’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, women were banned from working for international aid organizations and from pursuing higher education. It sparked grief, anger and despair among Afghan women. – We braved bombs, terror and the fear of death every single day to go to school. Against all odds, I got into medical school. I only had 2 years left in my education, but now they are taking that right away from me too, said “Fariba” crying to news by phone from Kabul in mid-December. SINT: “Fariba” is one of many students news has spoken to. They demand that the schools be reopened for women. – My education was the only thing that gave meaning in life. I feel abandoned. I feel lonely. It feels like my soul has left my body, said the 24-year-old. Split Taliban Sources in Afghanistan, who work closely with the Taliban, confirm to news that there is complete discord within the movement over the issue of women’s right to education and work. The more pragmatic leaders, based in Kabul, believe the bans damage the Taliban’s international reputation. This includes the powerful Haqqani clan, best known for the many suicide attacks they have been behind. Now Sirajuddin Haqqani sits in the powerful position of interior minister. The Haqqanis are one of the main pushers to reverse the controversial bans on women. – These leaders realize that they cannot manage Afghanistan in isolation. They know that they can forget about international recognition and cooperation if women are denied basic rights. It has particularly impressed them that Muslim countries have condemned their ban, says one of the sources in Kabul news has spoken to. In addition, the circle around Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who visited Norway last winter for talks with the Norwegian authorities, wants women to be allowed to study again. ADVANTAGE: The Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi (centre), fights for women’s right to education and work. Here from the visit to Oslo in January 2022. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB – People want work, security and education, the foreign minister has stated on social media. Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai has gone the furthest in defending women’s rights. – There is no religious justification for why women cannot get an education, and why they cannot work, said the Taliban leader to a government meeting in September last year. A few months before that, he again addressed the importance of female participation in society. – It is not only men who can build this society. Women must be allowed to work. We cannot overlook them. They must take part in politics, the economy, in all parts of society. But the conservative circle around the movement’s legendary spiritual leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada in Kandahar, wants women to stay at home. POWERFUL: The Taliban’s spiritual leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada. Photo: Afghan Islamic Press / AP It is this hard core that seems to have the most influence in the Taliban movement right now. But after several weeks of storms of criticism, it looks like those in power in Afghanistan may be slipping. A reversal of the ban on women is not expected immediately, but during the spring, according to news’s sources. That the Taliban will probably lift the bans is also confirmed by Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council, who is in Afghanistan right now. Hope for change – I have received signals that there is a new decree on the way. It will make it possible to use female employees in accordance with traditional Afghan values, and perhaps progress on the education front, says Egeland on the phone from Afghanistan. NEGOTIATOR: Jan Egeland from the Norwegian Refugee Council in talks with the Taliban’s refugee minister, Khalil Haqqani. Photo: The Norwegian Refugee Council Egeland is in talks with the Taliban. He has met key Taliban ministers in the capital, Kabul. Later in the week travel to the movement’s birthplace, Kandahar. There he meets religious and political leaders who work closely with the spiritual leader, who is therefore behind the denial of education and employment for women. – My message to the Taliban leadership has been crystal clear. We respect all the traditional Afghan values. They must also respect our values, and one of the fundamental values is gender equality. – Do you have the impression that the Taliban leaders are listening to the international protests? – Many Taliban leaders I have met are nervous that we have stopped the work. I don’t think they expected that. They ask us to continue with only male employees until they get a new permit for women. We have rejected that. We cannot give up. Jan Egeland in a meeting with the Taliban’s finance minister, Qari Din Mohammad Hanif Photo: Norwegian Refugee Council Protest against ban on women Many aid organizations have stopped their work in Afghanistan in protest against the ban on women working. The Norwegian Refugee Council is one of them. They have a budget in Afghanistan of NOK 350 million a year. Of 1,500 local, Afghan employees, 470 are women. – We neither can, nor want to carry out relief work with only male employees. Thus, the aid effort for 700,000 Afghans, in a terrible humanitarian crisis, is suspended until we get the Taliban to reverse this decision. Thousands of female aid workers are now sitting at home, having lost their livelihood overnight. Egeland praises their important efforts, in a conservative country like Afghanistan, where access to women who need help is difficult. COLD: Afghan women wait for emergency aid. Over 20 million Afghans depend on food distribution to survive. Photo: Musadeq Sadeq / Ap – Without women, we cannot reach many weak groups such as widows, single mothers with children, and all other women who cannot or will not receive direct help from men. Fears of disaster According to the UN, 2/3 of the population of almost 40 million are completely dependent on emergency aid and food distribution in order not to starve. When aid organizations stop working, it has disastrous consequences for Afghans. – More than 20 million people are on the verge of starvation. 6 million risk dying from lack of food if we do not get a large and comprehensive aid program started during 2023. GREAT EMERGENCY: Afghan women in the bread line in Kabul’s bitter winter. Photo: WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP Egeland believes the international community must not negotiate away the demand for equality in talks with the Taliban. – If we continue with only male employees, we will destroy ourselves as a principled, global employer that puts equality first. – If this ban goes on for a long time, we will have to permanently end much of the aid effort. That’s why I think we will get a reversal, says Egeland, who will stay in Afghanistan until Friday.
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Sources for news: Think the Taliban will reverse the ban on women
