Cover Story newsletter: Inside Afghanistan
An exclusive look at how we designed our cover
The Economist's Cover Story examines Afghanistan five years after the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban's return to power. South Asia bureau chief Tom Sasse traveled the country by road, noting that Afghanistan is now at peace under Taliban rule, with cities experiencing relative calm. However, life for ordinary Afghans remains challenging — the country is poor, hungry, and repressed. Women are barred from work and education, and child marriage is now legal.
The cover design aimed to convey the complex situation, blending first-hand reporting with visually striking images. While a photo of a poor Kabul neighborhood and a girl collecting water jars were considered, they didn't fully represent the changes under the Taliban. An image of two young girls in pink dresses was rejected as it could mislead viewers into thinking girls were free and hopeful, when in reality they would soon be restricted from education and must cover their hair.
A mural of women with erased faces conveyed the oppressive ideology, but might be too complex for a cover.
The final chosen image featured a woman gazing out from behind a curtain, symbolizing the isolation and frustration of those confined indoors. The headline "Inside Afghanistan" encapsulates the on-the-ground nature of the coverage and the theme of longing for freedom. Despite calls for Western disengagement, the author argues that pragmatic engagement, such as relaxing economic sanctions, could be beneficial.
He suggests that democracies should engage with the Taliban, as isolation has been ineffective and other powers may fill the void.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
