At a United Nations event on Monday, Hollywood actor Meryl Streep drew global attention to the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, remarking that “cats have more freedom than women” in the country.
Streep highlighted the Taliban’s severe restrictions on women’s rights, including barring most girls from attending high school and preventing women from working or even visiting public parks. “A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not, and a woman may not in public,” she added, underscoring the grim reality faced by Afghan women since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
“In today’s Afghanistan, a female cat has more freedom than a woman,” Streep said, drawing a stark comparison to illustrate the oppressive conditions. “A cat may sit on her front stoop and feel the sun on her face. She may chase a squirrel in the park. A squirrel has more rights than a girl in Afghanistan, because public parks have been closed to women and girls.”
Streep’s remarks were part of an effort to draw global attention to the Taliban’s crackdown on women’s rights since seizing power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces after two decades of conflict. The U.N. has sought a unified global response to the Taliban, which has imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s education, employment, and public life.
Women’s Rights Dismantled
Since taking control, the Taliban has barred most girls from attending high school and women from universities. Beauty salons have been shut down, and women are prohibited from traveling without a male guardian. These actions represent a stark reversal of the gains made by Afghan women over the past 20 years.
“A bird may sing in Kabul, but a girl may not—and a woman may not in public. This is extraordinary,” Streep said, underscoring the severity of the Taliban’s restrictions.
The Taliban, however, insists that it respects rights in accordance with its interpretation of Islamic law. Last month, the group formally codified a set of rules based on a 2022 decree from its supreme spiritual leader. These rules, enforced by the Taliban’s Ministry of Morality, govern behavior and conduct, further restricting women’s freedoms.
Global Leaders Call for Change
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who also addressed the event, echoed Streep’s concerns and emphasized the critical role women must play in Afghanistan’s future. “Without educated women, without women in employment—including in leadership roles—and without recognizing the rights and freedoms of half its population, Afghanistan will never take its rightful place on the global stage,” Guterres said.
The event served as a call to action for world leaders to engage with the Taliban and push for the restoration of women’s rights in Afghanistan. The U.N. continues to advocate for a unified international approach to address the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
