ilham

These women are not in hostels and university dorms due to external pressures. They are there hundreds of kilometers away from their families to get an education, which their families value. Women’s participation in public life in Bamyan or DaiKundi is no more a foreign thing.

Even before the Taliban took over districts like Jaghori in 1998, one of the key negotiation terms from people of Jaghori was to to allow girls to go to school. That’s how jaghori became the only district where Taliban de facto recognized women’s access to formal education.

Over the last 20 years, some of the most rural and conservative communities in areas that weren’t affected by war have become scenes of historic and unprecedented social changes including improvements in women rights e.g. education & public participation. These changes are local.

Of course, violence and Taliban can lead to shrinking this space, but the overall social changes are indigenous- though enabled by structural opportunities. As foreigners pull out, my niece remains in the army and my fearless cousin will remain principle of the girls high school

In Angori- Jaghori because their families support them and because the community has recognized their public roles. These are not anecdotal examples. Travel to DaiKundi or Badakhshan and you’ll see changes. Time to recognize the local agency behind the changes.

Not saying we should take these for granted. War threatens all of these. We should also take new trends in extremism very seriously. I also recognize that not all communities have equally embraced changes. But where you see development, see also it’s local drive and ownership.