Afghanistan (MNN) — New United Nations reports issued this week highlight the Taliban’s “shocking” and “cruel” oppression of Afghan women and girls.
John Weaver, author of Inside Afghanistan, says, “This is revealing what we already knew about the Taliban. They think it’s best for their country to have these rules where girls can’t go to school beyond sixth grade, and women can’t work in certain jobs. They have not changed, and it doesn’t look like they are going to change.”
(Photo courtesy of Wanman Uthmaniyyah via Unsplash)
Afghanistan is the only country in the world that denies women access to secondary and higher education.
“What could be worse is no school at all,” says Weaver. “At least in some places, they are going up to the sixth grade. It’s possible, in some villages, they’re going beyond that.
“Afghanistan is a huge tribal society. The Taliban are primarily Pashtuns, but the Pashtuns don’t live everywhere, so there’s not the oppressive Islamic view [held by] the Taliban everywhere.”
Pray Afghan women will regain their lost freedoms, and ask the Lord to protect His followers.
The Taliban says Christianity has no presence in Afghanistan, yet secret believers remain.
Weaver says, “God’s never left Himself without a witness. He’s at work in the country. But for Afghan believers, it is an oppressive context. There are like sheep among wolves, and they need our prayers and support and advocacy now more than ever.”
Header photo courtesy of Farid Ershad via Unsplash.
