Alumni Publication: "Women’s rights under the Taliban: The socio-economic consequences of political exclusion" by Shanthie Mariet D'Souza
On 7 March 2024, Middle East Institute published NESA Center alumna Shanthie Mariet D'Souza's analysis, "Women’s rights under the Taliban: The socio-economic consequences of political exclusion."
"One of the first things the Taliban did after capturing power in August 2021 was to abolish the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) and re-establish the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, a morality-imposing task force that seeks to preclude violations of Islamic law. Although the change wasn’t completely unanticipated, the Taliban’s accompanying nonchalance about actively revoking women’s rights certainly was. Indeed, prior to the group’s recapture of the country, Taliban negotiators sought to demonstrate a reformed worldview to the international community by vowing to protect women’s rights; they even showed they were not averse to engaging with women as the US-Taliban deal in Doha was being hashed out. But it was all a charade," writes D'Souza.
About the Author
Dr. Shanthie Mariet D’Souza is a Fulbright-Nehru Visiting Chair at the School of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, United States and Founder and President of Mantraya. She has worked in governmental and non-governmental sectors and conducted field research in various provinces of Afghanistan for more than a decade.
About the Publisher
The Middle East Institute is the oldest Washington-based institution dedicated solely to the study of the Middle East. It is a non-partisan think tank providing expert policy analysis, educational and professional development services, and a hub for engaging with the region's arts and culture.
The views presented in this article are those of the speaker or author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its components.
