1 of 7

GIRLS’ RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN

As girls and women in Afghanistan fear for their future under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, use this activity to identify causes, effects and solutions linked to violations of girls’ rights in fragile states.

�Purpose

To help students realize how war, terror and prejudices can affect girls and their rights. We use the example of girls under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, and the dangerous fight for girl’s rights. In the second part of the activity, students can work together to examine and discover links between causes and effects when it comes to girls rights.

Preparations

Prepare the video and story about Sakena Yacoobi and the story about Nouria from Afghanistan. Sakena Yacoobi has fought for children, especially girls’ right to education in Afghanistan for 30+ years. Nouria grew up during the previous period of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, and was forced to go to a secret school and hide her textbooks under her blue burka. Now, many in Afghanistan fear this will happen to a new generation of girls.

�

2 of 7

Child Rights Hero�Sakena Yacoobi, Afghanistan

3 of 7

Beautiful country but dangerous

War and terror over four decades
Taliban rule 1997–2001 with opression of girls and women
US-led invasion and war 2001-2021. Civilians still hit very hard.
Talibaner take power again in August 2021.
What happens now?

3

Explain in brief that the Afghan people have suffered through war and terror for the past four decades, experiencing civil war, foreign invasion, insurgency, and oppressive Taliban rule from 1997–2001. The Taliban is an Islamist fundamentalist movement and during their previous time in power, they made it illegal for women to work and for girls to go to school. They banned everything from dancing and listening to popular music to kite flying and watching TV. Girls and women were not allowed to walk outside unless they had a male companion. had to be completely covered when they walked outside the home risked violent attack and even death. In 2001, a U.S.-led invasion led to the Taliban withdrawing but now, in August 2021, the Taliban have come back into power. Their leadership has said that they will now let girls go to school and that women and girls will be allowed to be active in society, work, and study. However, they add that this will only be “within the bounds of Islamic law.” And because the Taliban is a fundamentalist movement with very strict interpretations of Islam, no one really knows how girls and women will be treated in the long run.

1 of 7

2 of 7

3 of 7

4 of 7

5 of 7

6 of 7

7 of 7