BOZEMAN — It’s been more than four years since the United States began pulling out of Afghanistan. Since then, the Taliban has implemented new, regressive laws in the region—leaving many wondering what the future holds.
"You’re seeing that the dark days of the Taliban have come back as it was before and just all the darkness that’s brought into what is a thriving culture and wonderful communities; it’s just tragic to see," says Alice Thomas, executive director of the Central Asia Institute (CAI) in Bozeman.
CAI's mission is to provide the women and girls of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan with education and life skills.
Thomas tells me that as the Taliban has begun to take back over the region, challenges for the institute have grown.
"It wasn’t long after the Taliban took over that they made the move of not reopening schools for girls above the secondary level—so that’s seventh grade and above," she says.
Shortly after this, the Taliban banned women from attending university and working in government. And just a few weeks ago, the regime expanded morality laws that prevent women from speaking and showing themselves in public.
Thomas says, "We were working with local partners before the Taliban took over. So that positioned us well when the U.S. left because it has allowed us to continue providing education."
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Despite the restrictions in the region, CAI has doubled down on primary education, especially for women.
"With the goal of trying to get as many girls as possible to learn to read, to write, to have basic math. And give them the basic skills they need in life to have a more productive meaningful life," Thomas says.
The Taliban has allowed women to remain being teachers. Thomas says that this has allowed them to continue training and providing salaries to women, but the risk that comes with it has been discouraging for families and the economy.
"It’s become difficult for Afghan families to feed themselves, and women want to contribute but they can’t. And so, banning half the population from working is obviously really exacerbating the problem," says Thomas.
Thomas says it’s important to realize that the region is incredibly diverse with many different Muslim sects. She says the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia law isn’t what many Muslim women, and even scholars, believe in.
She says, "Early on after the Taliban took over and they started enforcing the requirement for women to completely cover up in a burka and cover their face, there was a big online movement of Afghan women that was like, 'not my burka' was the hashtag. Because that’s not their interpretation of Islam that they must cover up."
Thomas says it’s important to remain aware of the situation in Afghanistan—for the refugees within the community and those who served in the conflict.
"Luckily in our community we have—we’re here and have worked in Afghanistan for over 20 years—but we also have a lot of veterans in this community who served in Afghanistan and to remember them and remember the situation is just important," she says.
Thomas adds, "It’s enormously important that we stand with them and continue to show our solidarity. You can imagine if it were you or me, how we would feel. But knowing that the world cares about you and was worried about you, and was trying to do things for you would make a difference."
