Women from different parts of the world are sharing pictures of them dressed in colourful traditional clothes to mark their participation in the campaign started to voice against the new dress code by the Taliban for the female students.
Current Status Of Women in Afghanistan Under Taliban
Major cities in Afghanistan saw several demonstrations to protest against the new policies by the Taliban.
Afghan women all around the globe have started to share photos of them in different colourful and traditional clothes.
These women are using the hashtag #DoNotTouchMyClothes to enhance awareness about this protest.
Taliban has been working towards implementing sharia law in Afghanistan. The new government by the Taliban does not have any place for women and people from the Hazara minority.
The new regime does not include the ministry of women’s affairs. Instead, there is a ministry of propaganda of virtue and hardly has some Uzbek and Tajik.
Three hundred women from Kabul University appeared in black garments by covering feet, hands and faces (a dressing not seen in the nation earlier).
Universities in Afghanistan will be gender-segregated from now on, and women are not allowed to hold higher rank positions in any government office.
In 1996-2001, Taliban regimes did not let women step out of their houses, and women feared similar limitations to be levied soon.
This issue has been taken to social media to protest against the hard-line policies by the Taliban.
Taliban has further announced that protests within the country will be allowed after receiving approval from the justice ministry.
However, in Kabul, women engaging in the protest have pledged to continue their demonstrations irrespective of the Talibani announcements.
Taliban has implemented several changes since they have taken over Kabul and are trying to align these new policies with sharia law.
Dr Bahar Jalali’s Take on Taliban’s New Policies
Dr Bahar Jalali, a gender studies expert and an Afghan historian, started this trend by posting a photo of #DoNotTouchMyClothes.
This post has further inspired a lot of Afghan women all around the world. The tweet further stated, “This is Afghan culture. My traditional dress.”
Sana Safi from the BBC posted a similar photo to support the protest and enhance awareness of Afghan tradition and culture.
The cultural genocide experienced by women in Afghanistan has been taken seriously, and support from Afghan women from different parts of the globe has been pouring in.
The dress code that the Taliban have suggested ban for women in Afghanistan is entirely alien to them. Dr Jalali has further described the traditional dress that women in Afghanistan wear.
These dresses are mostly colourful and have many embroideries and embellishments, ranging from basic salwar kameez and long maxi dresses.
She further pointed that the Taliban emerged from Pakistan and is not aware of Afghan culture.
The campaign has become viral now and, the Labour councillor Peymana Assad participated in the campaign as well.
Dr Jalali fears that the gender studies class will never start again. The gender studies class was a huge success, and male candidates were also enrolling for the classes.
Women’s social and public life has been impacted significantly, and people will not have the freedom to discuss subjects like gender studies.
Men and women are separated in educational institutions, and women need to follow the dress code; hence, it does not make the classroom safe for the students.
