Five Long Years

 

A short blog this month. The heat has sapped all energy, the quill pen is drooping, the inkwell is dry and the fine linen wove paper has turned brown and crispy. And yes, it did start to become more tolerable in mid-August, but now it’s post-heatwave anxiety time. What just happened? Will the plants ever recover? Is there enough water around for wildlife? When did you last see an earthworm? Will there be another blowtorch event in September? What should I be doing?

So, let’s keep this blog short and focused. There is so much rage-engendering stuff going on that it would be quite easy to blow a gasket and find Meta, Donald Trump, the Water companies, Reform Uk, Elon Musk and that bloke down the road who thinks you are a shape-shifting lizard all having a go at you. Or worse still to have a complete meltdown, like poor, doomed Howard Beale, the character played by Peter Finch in the 1976 film Network .

So instead, we’ll concentrate on just one thing,and take ourselves back to August 2021.

August 15, 2021

On August 15, 2021, in Afghanistan, Taliban fighters conquered Kabul. Since then, although there has been sporadic opposition, they now control the whole country, which is headed by the all-powerful emir Hibatullah Akhundzada. He has an iron grip, issuing hundreds of edicts, which are having a particularly catastrophic impact on the lives of women and girls. We’ll look at a few examples later.

There was much international condemnation at the time, and sanctions were imposed, with only Russia formally recognising the state. But now, five years later, minds tend to be focused elsewhere, especially with conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East. And in spite of the grave concerns of the UN, Afghan embassies are re-opening, as the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, Lyse Doucet noted in her recent in-depth report:

'Behind the soaring blast walls of the foreign ministry in Kabul......, Taliban diplomats keep adding names and flags to the growing collection of Afghan embassies worldwide which are now under their control, rather than the last holdouts of the government they ousted. The current tally is more than 40.'

The Chokehold 

Earlier this year, the Afghan Human Rights Centre published a report analysing and
evaluating the situation since August 2021, setting out in detail how rights and freedoms have been curtailed, especially for women and girls. The report includes an interview with ‘Khalida’ (not her real name), a girl from Herat city, who vividly evokes the atmosphere of physical and psychological intimidation:

'A few weeks ago, while I was on my way to the market, I was forced out of the vehicle by the Taliban. Although I was wearing a chador and a face mask, they made me get out of the car and told me that my hijab was not appropriate. I was very frightened that they might beat or detain me. I immediately returned home. Since then, my parents, in order to preserve the family’s honour and reputation, no longer allow me to go to the market. I know that if a girl is detained by the Taliban - even for a few hours – under the pretext of improper hijab or any other excuse, she will lose her reputation at home and in society. For this reason, I do not feel safe.'
This is one example of what Amanda Abou Abdallah, in a recent article, refers to as a ‘chokehold’ on women and what she believes to be the systematic enslavement of women by the Taliban. There is no education for girls over 11, the wearing of the burqua is enforced and women are banned from public life – they are not even able to visit parks. The minimum age for marriage has been abolished, and there is evidence that desperate families are being pushed to sell their daughters. Horribly, and cynically, wife-beating is acceptable as long as there are no fractures or serious injuries. The maternal mortality rate is extremely high, and Afghan women are no longer permitted to work as midwives or gynaecologists. Suicide is increasingly seen as the only means of release. Protests are brutally suppressed, like the one in June this year in Herat, where the Taliban fired on the crowd and two people were killed, including a child (an incident barely noticed by the western media).

Another Five Years?

This is catastrophic. And the fear is, of course, that it will become normalised. It is tempting to look the other way, shrug our shoulders - ‘it is what it is’ as the noxious phrase has it. But, as we can see from the articles and reports referenced in this blog (and there are many, many more if you care to search) there are brave women within Afghanistan and globally, who will continue to bear witness. They will not give up fighting to expose and resist this misogynistic, brutal regime. The thought of another five years of this hell is terrifying.
We should do whatever we can, by supporting refugee women and aid organisations, as well
as lobbying government to maintain pressure on the Afghan regime. And you can find lots more information about how you can help through a simple search here online.


AUGUST UPDATE ON THE MK FAWCETT CAMPAIGN FOR A SAFER, HEALTHIER, FAIRER MILTON KEYNES

  • In early September we will hold a planning brunch to assess our options for campaigning and making a difference in Milton Keynes. We will welcome Calliope, Local Group Lead, from The Fawcett Society. If you are interested in finding out more, email us at miltonkeynesfawcettgroup@gmail.com
  • In September we will also be attending the Centre for Protecting Women Online (CPWO’s) second annual conference, and the Sexual Abuse & Assault Support Service (SAASS) planning workshop for their new community project.
  • As a follow-up to the successful workshop on the national VAWG strategy we are planning an Autumn action-focused event. Look out for further details.
  • Research and Analysis: Both the initial 2026 Council Election analysis paper and the 2026 Evidence Paper ‘Women’s Lives in Milton Keynes’ can be found HERE.
  • Callum Anderson MP is meeting with us in September, and we are arranging dates to meet with our other MK MPs in Autumn.
  • The Craftivism Exhibition will be in the Unity Place foyer for 2 months from mid-September. These craft and artistic pieces were made last year by crafters and survivors of domestic violence to decorate the Milton Keynes Rose for the Annual Orange and White Vigil which marks the awareness day for ending violence against women and girls. Look out for details.
  • A Writing Competition opens on 1st September till 7th October, inviting Milton Keynes people from age 11 to adult to submit an original piece of writing on the theme: “It takes all of us to make a (world / city / home) where women and girls live in safety.” Full details HERE. Selected winners will feature in an event on 25th November at 4pm at MK Gallery, hosted by the OU's Centre for Protection of Women Online and the organisers of the Annual Vigil at Milton Keynes Rose, as part of this year's Vigil Programme, so save the date!
  • A more detailed analysis of the Local Elections 2026 will be prepared over the Autumn for further discussion on representation of women in MKCC, focussing on selection and diversity. Our monitoring shows that the overall percentage of women elected has fallen from 44% to 42%.
  • Three members from Fawcett MK attended the annual Fawcett Society Conference, Misogyny Matters, in June. Others from the group watched online. Although we heard many shocking and challenging presentations, we were heartened and revitalised by the examples of courageous and inventive women and men who are battling misogyny in all areas of life, determined that women’s ideas, voices and contributions are robust shapers of agendas and achievements.
  • As the new enlarged Integrated Care Board (ICB) takes shape, we will continue to monitor how women’s health needs are considered. We are watching how ideas such as Women’s Health Clinics are piloted and evaluated and we are closely following the development of the city’s Women and Children’s hospital.
  • MKF has a presence on LinkedIn as well as being on BlueSky and Instagram. Please follow us on these platforms as well as at https://www.fawcettmk.org.uk/

Location: Milton Keynes, UK

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