KABUL, Afghanistan — As the U.S. presidential election approaches, many Afghans are calling on the next American leader to take a strong stance against the Taliban, particularly over the regime’s restrictions on women and girls.
Residents in Kabul expressed hope that the next U.S. administration will push for meaningful reforms in Afghanistan to counter what they describe as widespread human rights abuses by the Taliban.
“The U.S. president must seriously address the Taliban’s restrictions on women,” said Sadaf, a Kabul resident. “They should pressure the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls.”
Both Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, and Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, are competing for the White House. While neither candidate has presented a specific plan for Afghanistan, some Afghans, weary of the Taliban’s rule, say they expect the next U.S. president to break from the current administration’s policy and apply greater pressure on the Taliban. Many feel the withdrawal of U.S. forces in August 2021 and the subsequent Taliban takeover have led to severe setbacks for women’s rights, democracy, and freedom of speech in the country.
Since taking power, the Taliban have imposed strict regulations on women and girls, closing schools for girls above grade six and barring women from universities and many public sector jobs. The effect has been a dramatic erosion of women’s rights, with Afghan women calling on the U.S. to help them regain their freedom and financial independence.
“We urge the next U.S. president to help lift the excessive restrictions imposed by the Taliban,” said Yalda, another Kabul resident. “Schools, universities, and government jobs should be accessible to women again.”
The fall of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces and the collapse of two decades of gains in democracy and women’s rights have left many Afghans fearful for the future. For these citizens, the next U.S. president, as the leader of one of the world’s most powerful countries, has a responsibility not to remain silent about the Taliban’s policies and to advocate for the rights of Afghan women and girls.
