The Silence of Our Sisters: Standing with Afghan Women

As women, we should all be infuriated right now. No matter our background, at some point in history, we have all faced moments where our voices were silenced, where we had no say. Today, Afghan women are enduring that same silencing—only this time, it’s institutionalized, oppressive, and unrelenting. For women across the world, this should feel personal. We are a sisterhood, united in our shared struggles, even if they manifest in different ways.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban has imposed draconian measures that erase women from public life. Women have been banned from speaking in public, showing their faces, singing, laughing, or reading outside their homes. Their voices have been stolen by law. According to a report from WBUR, the Taliban’s 14-page manifesto explicitly states that women cannot leave their homes unless fully covered, accompanied by a male guardian, and devoid of any autonomy or joy. Even in the so-called “safety” of their homes, they must remain unseen and unheard.

It wasn’t always this way. Just three years ago, Afghan women led vastly different lives. They had careers, education, relationships, and the ability to dream freely. On August 15, 2021, all of that changed when the Taliban returned to power. Now, Afghan women are banned from most jobs, education past the sixth grade, parks, and even sports. The list of what they cannot do continues to grow, stripping them of their humanity piece by piece.

This isn’t just about policies; it’s about erasing their very existence. Afghan women are now suffering under the heavy burden of what it means to be a woman in their country. Fathers, brothers, and husbands cannot advocate for them without facing punishment. Those who protest risk their lives. The patriarchal rules are designed to suffocate not just women, but anyone who dares to oppose misogyny. The Taliban’s deliberate targeting of women’s voices is nothing short of an attack on their humanity.

To those reading this and thinking, “What does this have to do with me?”—everything. If this could happen to them, it can happen to any of us. Women across the world have fought tirelessly for the rights we often take for granted. Afghan women remind us of the fragility of those freedoms. Silence in the face of their suffering is not an option.

So, I urge you: Do not turn a blind eye. Speak out. Raise your voice for the women who cannot. Stand in solidarity with our sisters who have been silenced. Their fight is our fight, their pain is our pain. Together, we must demand action, advocacy, and change.

I speak for the Afghan women who lost their voices.