In recent days, there are times when I feel exhausted by being Afghan. Every time I scroll through social media or read the news, I find fewer and fewer hopeful stories about Afghanistan. It feels as though the blossoms of this land withered long ago, and we now survive only on memories of those brighter days.
Today, I spoke with an acquaintance from Herat province and asked about the situation in the city. He let out a deep sigh and said, “My friend, Herat is no longer doing well.” He then spoke about a new wave of arrests targeting women and girls under the pretext of “improper hijab,” arrests that, according to him, have created widespread fear and anxiety among families.
He said that some women who were fully covered had been detained simply because they were not wearing a face veil or mask. Many girls are now afraid to leave their homes, fearing they could be the next targets. As he spoke, emotion filled his voice. He also mentioned the killing that occurred in Herat a few days ago and said that today’s reports of more arrests have only deepened public concern.
For years, Herat has been known as a city of knowledge, culture, and civilization, a place rich in scholarship, art, and coexistence. Today, however, the city faces restrictions and deprivations that have profoundly affected the daily lives of many residents, especially women and girls.
This situation raises many difficult questions. People who have already endured decades of war, insecurity, and hardship now find themselves confronting new fears. Many are in circumstances where they cannot freely protest or express their views and are forced to carry the burden of these realities in silence.
What is most alarming is the continued suppression and detention of women and girls in the name of enforcing dress codes. These unjust actions push women and girls even further away from public life. The denial of basic rights, restrictions on educational and social opportunities, and the creation of an atmosphere of fear affect not only women, but society as a whole. A society that deprives half of its population of participation, education, and public presence cannot move toward progress and development.
The rights of women and girls are not a secondary or insignificant issue. They are among the most fundamental social and human concerns of any society. Silence in the face of such issues must not become a habit, because silence in the face of deprivation and injustice only allows them to spread further.
If these events are taking place today in Herat and Kabul, what is perhaps most tragic is the silence that surrounds them. Many people fear that tomorrow the same practices could spread to other cities and provinces across Afghanistan. For this reason, the issue must be taken seriously above all others, and both men and women should raise their voices against these actions by the Taliban.
Afghanistan now needs unity, hope, justice, awareness, and respect for the rights of all its citizens more than ever before. The day when no girl chooses to remain at home out of fear of arrest, and no mother worries about her child’s future, will be the day this country can truly be said to have returned to the path of prosperity. Until then, it is the responsibility of all of us to keep alive the voices of truth, justice, and human dignity and to ensure that human suffering is not forgotten amid the noise of everyday life.
