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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think Afghanistan is the worst place to be born female.

78 replies

Adisgracetotheforcesofevil · 01/01/2025 16:01

Taliban bans windows to stop women from being seen at home | The Independent

Just when you think they is no other way for the Taliban to persecute women, they come up with this madness. What next?

Taliban bans windows to stop women from being seen at home

Buildings should not have windows looking into places where women could be sitting or standing, Taliban leader orders

https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/taliban-afghanistan-ban-windows-women-b2672332.html

OP posts:
Ereshkigalangcleg · 08/01/2025 11:34

I think she's said elsewhere that she was also drawing on the Iranian Revolution. Both forced women from relative freedom into concealing garments and second class citizenship.

TheKeatingFive · 08/01/2025 11:56

Hankunamatata · 08/01/2025 11:11

I saw news recently that they have removed women from training as doctors. But women are not allowed to be seen by make doctors. So women will live in pain and die as they can't get medical help

And yet no international organisations are stepping in? This is atrocious.

BrokenHipster · 08/01/2025 12:00

Did you know that Afghani women are not named in their childrens birth certificates? Only the father and paternal grandfather are named.

Did you know that women aren't always even given names? And when they are, they aren't even used. They are referred to as wife of husband's name, and mother of sons name. Their graves are unmarked.

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:03

BrokenHipster · 08/01/2025 12:00

Did you know that Afghani women are not named in their childrens birth certificates? Only the father and paternal grandfather are named.

Did you know that women aren't always even given names? And when they are, they aren't even used. They are referred to as wife of husband's name, and mother of sons name. Their graves are unmarked.

I did not know that. Horrifying

Ereshkigalangcleg · 08/01/2025 12:04

It's very disturbing how despised women are.

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:06

I often wonder if men in western countries would secretly want this way of living?

Clocloxx · 08/01/2025 12:07

Do they hate women that much? It's insane! Women gave them life they give life and are treated like their worthless. I wish every female could just leave! They would be totally usless without women

Isthisunusualz · 08/01/2025 12:09

So they are saying seeing a woman ‘could lead to obscene acts’ . Why can’t they control themselves and just not wank at windows ffs ??

Isthisunusualz · 08/01/2025 12:11

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:06

I often wonder if men in western countries would secretly want this way of living?

I know an Afghan uber driver . He works 2 other jobs as well. Has sisters and he has so far saved up and got 2 of them here and is just working constantly to get the others here to so they are safe. He doesn’t agree with what is happening there he says it’s an awful place for women

JennyElection · 08/01/2025 12:14

What is happening in Afghanistan is truly awful for women and I would imagine not all the men think it’s great that it’s happening to their sisters mothers and daughters.

However with the statement that there are half a million children each year sexually abused in the UK then we need to look at ourselves before we think we have any grounds to be policing the world.

I am sure there are many countries safer for women and girls looking at the UK with their own horror. Very very sad times

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:17

Isthisunusualz · 08/01/2025 12:11

I know an Afghan uber driver . He works 2 other jobs as well. Has sisters and he has so far saved up and got 2 of them here and is just working constantly to get the others here to so they are safe. He doesn’t agree with what is happening there he says it’s an awful place for women

I wasn't referring specifically to Afghan men....I literally mean all men. Let's say the UK had a referendum tomorrow to limit women's rights in some way...what percentage of men would vote for that?

Ereshkigalangcleg · 08/01/2025 12:18

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:06

I often wonder if men in western countries would secretly want this way of living?

It's a scary thought, and I guess what Atwood was trying to explore.

HappyPanda613 · 08/01/2025 12:21

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:06

I often wonder if men in western countries would secretly want this way of living?

I wish I could recall the study but I remember one done typically looking into the attitudes of men around the world, and it found that British men were the most misogynistic and likely to be abusive out of all the countries listed. it really opened my eyes as to the lies that are spread about so called ‘backward’ countries and how actually we need to look at ourselves and our men before pointing fingers elsewhere.

MushMonster · 08/01/2025 12:22

I agree, one of the worst places to be born, specially for women, but imagine being a husband/ father/ son/ brother in this environment!

ThisPerkySheep · 08/01/2025 12:28

Should we all be boycotting Afghanistan? I’m not sure if there are charities listing afghani products to avoid?

Or would boycotts just make life for Afghani women worse?

dynamiccactus · 08/01/2025 12:30

Katemax82 · 07/01/2025 18:32

It's like they don't want women to exist

Only as incubators.

Though if they didn't exist, they'd have to find someone else to persecute.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 08/01/2025 12:32

Why the hate for women? This is so extreme. Are they scared?

Was it Germaine Greer who said women should never underestimate how much men hate them.

dynamiccactus · 08/01/2025 12:32

Comedycook · 08/01/2025 12:03

I did not know that. Horrifying

Me neither, that is quite shocking especially when women do all the hard work of pregnancy and childbirth and beyond!

dynamiccactus · 08/01/2025 12:34

ThisPerkySheep · 08/01/2025 12:28

Should we all be boycotting Afghanistan? I’m not sure if there are charities listing afghani products to avoid?

Or would boycotts just make life for Afghani women worse?

There's nothing to boycott, that's the issue

All you can do if you can afford it is give to charities that help women there, such as Home - The Linda Norgrove Foundation

Home - The Linda Norgrove Foundation

The Linda Norgrove Foundation gives grants to fund education, health and childcare for women and children affected by the war in Afghanistan.

https://lindanorgrovefoundation.org/

MsJinks · 08/01/2025 12:36

I once listened to a Saudi lady on a radio programme, who had escaped Saudi with some difficulties, obviously, and now lived in the U.K. She said she actually now still felt oppressed as a female in a different way and at least she had understood the Saudi rules, but found it hard to understand Western ones, which she felt had same ultimate reason - women 3rd class and most population there as 2nd class to make others rich - just kept quiet by alternate and seemingly nicer means.
Obviously, Afghanistan is beyond any understanding. I don't think all men agree, as we saw with the desperation to get their wives and daughters out. Also I think men get punished too, if the female members of their family 'misbehave' and if they do in terms of beard etc. Probably the only 'good' thing to be in Afghanistan is to be part of the Taliban - in terms of being able to live fairly much as you might want, and be able to eat, get healthcare etc, and sadly young men may well wish to be powerful and violent and hope to be a part of it.
I wonder how women are policed in remote areas, if some areas just continue as they always have despite any western occupation or Taliban rule. So not all Afghanistan is even aware to be troubled by this.
I see a few threads talking of banning the cricket team competing but I believe the ICC does some work in supporting objections to the regime - the Taliban don't approve of playing cricket for one and secondly an Afghan women's cricket team does play though they don't live in Afghanistan. I think it would be better if no country dealt with them internationally though this would impact on the food for the general public so it's difficult.
I think that with all the rules all should follow, eg no sports or music or much apart from prayer, plus the lack of fighting which some government members are bored without!, then their only amusement and outlet of boredom is making up ever more awful rules and being able to punish.
It is beyond awful, beyond sad, and I actually think the only end is when the Taliban just wreck the country and have barely any women to 'breed, cook etc' and there are just a few tribes roaming around with no cities and infrastructure. I hope it's not so though.

JimHalpertsWife · 08/01/2025 12:40

TheGoogleMum · 08/01/2025 10:55

The treatment of women in Afghanistan is absolutely terrifying. It's basically Gilead.

It's way worse. And I thought that was the worst.

Lalgarh · 08/01/2025 12:41

ThisPerkySheep · 08/01/2025 12:28

Should we all be boycotting Afghanistan? I’m not sure if there are charities listing afghani products to avoid?

Or would boycotts just make life for Afghani women worse?

Their main source of military support, and training for the Taliban was Pakistan.

https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-192454

This despite the Taliban now lobbing missiles at them and retaliatory airstrikes.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia and now China are cordial with them.

Also Turkey
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/provincial-192190

Nanny0gg · 08/01/2025 12:49

For those of you still on Twitter, please read: https://x.com/JeanHatchet/status/1876546225488441559

A letter to the ECB from the writer Jean Hatchet.

I'd have copied and pasted here but it's long.

And it's spot on!

x.com

https://x.com/JeanHatchet/status/1876546225488441559

SpringleDingle · 08/01/2025 12:52

TheCrenchinglyMcQuaffenBrothers · 07/01/2025 19:22

Yep. Afghanistan definitely tops the list, and has done for some time, I imagine. South Sudan and Sudan, DRC, Pakistan and India I'd have thought are right up there near the top. Maybe some other African countries like Somalia and Sierra Leone too. Would have said Syria too but let's see if the recent regime change makes any difference. I have no hope that it will.

I'm not sure India is in the same league. There certainly is huge poverty and women and girls often bear the brunt of that but women can be educated, can have jobs, can own property etc.. I work with many intelligent, highly educted and successful women in India who would not consider themselves opressed.

Tweeteroo · 08/01/2025 12:53

HappyPanda613 · 08/01/2025 12:21

I wish I could recall the study but I remember one done typically looking into the attitudes of men around the world, and it found that British men were the most misogynistic and likely to be abusive out of all the countries listed. it really opened my eyes as to the lies that are spread about so called ‘backward’ countries and how actually we need to look at ourselves and our men before pointing fingers elsewhere.

Oh ok then. We have it soooo much worse in the uk. 🙄