No one should be sent back to Taliban rule
It’s the height of hypocrisy to condemn Taliban abuses in one breath and cooperate in sending people back to them in the next.
Five years after the Taliban captured Kabul, advocates are urging Canadians to not overlook the oppression of women in Afghanistan, according to Murwarid Ziayee, senior director of the Calgary-based charity Right to Learn Afghanistan. Ziayee, who was raised in Afghanistan, questioned why Afghan women should bear the burden of resilience and seeking opportunities.
On August 15, 2021, the Taliban retook control of the Afghan capital, leading to chaotic scenes as people tried to flee on military jets. Canadian troops had spent 13 years in Afghanistan as part of a NATO mission, with over 40,000 personnel deployed following the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Taliban immediately restricted women from education, employment, and various social activities, banning girls from attending school beyond Grade 6 and prohibiting them from participating in sports, politics, and media.
The United Nations and UNICEF reported severe economic conditions, including a sharp increase in child marriage and malnutrition. Despite these challenges, many Afghan girls still dream of education and a better future. The Right to Learn charity is providing virtual learning opportunities through online classrooms, scholarships, and libraries.
Ziayee called for Canada to offer university scholarships for Afghan girls, impose sanctions on Taliban figures, and prevent their children from attending universities abroad until girls are allowed to attend school.
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- Afghan advocates flag five years of Taliban rule globalnews.ca
