During Taliban rule of Afghanistan, from 1996-2001, women were not allowed to leave the house without a male guide, they had to wear a burqa or fully cover themselves and they weren’t allowed to receive an education or get a job. With the US pulling out of Afghanistan and the Taliban’s swift regain of the region, many Afghan men, women, and girls are worried the freedoms they’ve been awarded the past 20 years are a thing of the past.
Actress and activist Angelina Jolie joined Instagram to spread awareness about what young Afghan girls are faced with and the fears they have about the Taliban gaining control. In her second Instagram post, she calls attention to roughly 82.4 million people who are displaced due to human rights abuses, war, and climate change.
The girl, whose identity is not revealed for her safety, writes about feeling afraid of Taliban rule and worried she won’t be able to continue her schooling and eventually get a job. The Taliban has said that they would not interfere with the progress of rights for Afghan women, as long as it does not go against Islamic rule.
The Hindustan Times reports that the Taliban has already asked women working in a bank in Kandahar to quit their jobs and has said men in their families can resume their work for them. These reports only fuel fears and entice more families to want to evacuate the region.
Jolie’s second post highlights the growing human rights concern of migration and displacement of refugees. Like war and Taliban rule in Afghanistan, harrowing circumstances have led millions to leave their homes and everything they own to seek safety.
In joining Instagram it appears Jolie hopes her efforts will not only spread awareness but provide a call to action for her fans and new followers. Her profile bio contains a hyperlink to the UN Refugee Agency.