大象传媒

As Afghanistan waits to see how a Taliban administration will develop, many fear a loss of the rights that women have won in the last 20 years. There is anxiety that the Taliban will reimpose strict rules concerning women's public lives and pesonal freedoms. Pashtana Durrani spoke to 大象传媒 presenter Victoria Derbyshire from an undisclosed location in Afghanistan about her concerns.

She says she believes that they are keen to gain acceptance from foreign powers so will say what they need to achieve that. Based on reports from Herat and Kandahar, she says there is a disconnect between their pledges and what the Taliban "foot soldiers" are doing on the ground. She is looking for clarity from the Taliban on women's voting rights, on how women will be represented, on their access to education and rights in society.

"You have to understand what (the Taliban) are saying and what they are putting into practice are two different things. ... There are a lot of vague and confusing statements. It's time they understand that women won't be silenced. I have to put up a fight so the next generation doesn't have to put up all this conflict."

Photo: Women walk past a billboard in Kabul, August 2021 Credit: Getty Images

Show less