Reading and watching the latest news at the turn of the year, I find myself once again compelled to pick up my metaphorical pen. The world has shifted in alarming ways, and the plight of women in Afghanistan stands as a glaring testament to the fragility of progress. The withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan in 2021 was not just a military and political shift; it marked a critical juncture in the geopolitics of the region, with tragic consequences for millions of Afghan women.

After nearly two decades of investment in education, healthcare, and social freedoms, particularly for women, the world watched as decades of fragile progress toward gender equality were erased almost overnight. What followed was the rapid reinstitution of Taliban rule, and with it, a brutal regression into a society where women are systematically stripped of their rights, visibility, and autonomy. These women, who had fought for basic rights in the face of relentless oppression, suddenly found themselves thrust back into a grim reality, where the pursuit of education, employment, and public participation became mere fantasies.

A History of Western Influence: Afghanistan and Iraq
Afghanistan has long been a crossroads of empires and while Afghanistan was not directly incorporated into the Roman Empire, it bordered territories influenced by the Romans, such as the Parthian and later Sassanian Empires. Iraq, on the other hand, known as Mesopotamia in antiquity, was directly contested between Rome and its eastern rivals. The Roman presence in these regions, though often limited to military expeditions and diplomatic influence, brought with it elements of Greco-Roman culture, law, and governance.

Roman law, though patriarchal, provided women with certain rights, particularly in inheritance and property. Wealthy Roman women could own property, manage estates, and engage in business. In contrast, under Islamic regimes like the Taliban, women are systematically stripped of autonomy, denied access to education, and relegated to the private sphere. The concept of veiling, seclusion, and reducing women’s public presence was not a Roman practice but emerged in later Islamic traditions.
In Mesopotamia, under Roman influence, women of elite families could participate in temple cults, serve as priestesses, or act as patrons of public works, roles that acknowledged their social and religious significance.

Again, the West's involvement in the 20th and 21st centuries brought moments of hope for women’s rights. During the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992), significant efforts were made to modernise Afghan society, including expanding education for girls and granting women access to professions. However, these reforms were often resisted by conservative rural populations and ultimately became collateral damage in the broader Cold War struggle.
When the United States and its allies intervened in 2001, they sought not only to dismantle al-Qaeda but also to promote democratic values, including gender equality. Western-backed Afghan governments implemented policies to improve women's access to education, healthcare, and employment. By 2020, millions of girls were attending school, and women held roles in parliament, law, and media. However, these gains were largely dependent on the presence of foreign forces and financial support, making them unsustainable in the face of the Taliban’s resurgence.

Iraq: The Burden of Colonial Legacy and Modern Warfare
Under Roman influence, cities such as Palmyra and Hatra in Iraq flourished as centres of trade and culture. These cities were melting pots of Greek, Roman, Persian, and local traditions. Women in such cosmopolitan hubs, especially elite women, had some access to education and public life. In Palmyra, inscriptions and reliefs show women as influential figures in religious and civic spheres.

Iraq, under British control following World War I saw the imposition of a Western-style monarchy under King Faisal I. While the British introduced infrastructure and administrative reforms, unfortunately they did little to challenge deeply rooted patriarchal norms. Women remained largely excluded from public life, and reforms, such as improved access to education, were limited to urban elites.

The Ba'athist regime under Saddam Hussein initially promoted women’s participation in education and the workforce as part of its modernisation efforts. However, these policies were reversed in the 1990s during Iraq’s descent into economic hardship and authoritarianism. After the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the dismantling of Iraq's institutions created a power vacuum that allowed sectarian groups to rise, many of which opposed women’s rights.

Child marriage was not an institutionalised practice under Roman rule. While marriages of younger girls to older men were not uncommon in the Roman world, such unions were generally tied to elite families for political alliances rather than a widespread societal norm. Roman law recognised the legal age for marriage as 12 for girls and 14 for boys, and even then, marriage was often delayed in practice until adolescence.

The contemporary Iraqi proposal to lower the age of consent to nine represents a stark regression, rooted in interpretations of Hadiths rather than ancient or Roman legal traditions. Such practices strip girls of their childhood, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and devoid of opportunities for education and personal development, and highlighting the fragility of progress in the face of religious extremism.

The Taliban’s Policies: A Blueprint for Erasure
The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan heralded a swift and systematic rollback of women’s rights. Among their most chilling decrees is a ban on windows overlooking women’s areas, as reported by France24. While seemingly trivial, this measure symbolises the Taliban’s broader campaign to render women invisible. This edict is part of a broader framework that includes banning girls from attending secondary school, barring women from most forms of employment, and prohibiting their presence in public spaces without a male chaperone.

The similarities between Afghanistan’s Taliban decrees and Iraq’s proposed law reveal a disturbing trend. Across parts of the Islamic world, patriarchal regimes exploit religious texts to institutionalise the subjugation of women. These actions are not about faith; they are about power, specifically, the power to control half the population through fear, dependency, and systemic disenfranchisement.

While interpretations of religious texts are often used to justify these policies, they are selective and contextually outdated. Islamic teachings, at their core, advocate justice, compassion, and dignity for all. The perversion of these values to oppress women and girls is a betrayal of the religion’s fundamental principles.

The Legacy of Western Interventions
Western interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq introduced periods of relative progress for women, but these gains were often superficial and unsustainable. In both countries, reforms were imposed from above, with limited engagement with local communities to foster long-term cultural change. As a result, the withdrawal of Western influence created a vacuum that allowed extremist ideologies to reassert dominance.

Moreover, the West’s inconsistent approach to women’s rights, treating them as secondary to military and geopolitical goals, undermined the credibility of its efforts. For instance, while the U.S. promoted gender equality in Afghanistan, it also engaged with conservative warlords who opposed such reforms. Similarly, in Iraq, the post-2003 governance structure prioritised stability over inclusivity, enabling the rise of faction’s hostile to women’s rights.

The Human Cost of Patriarchy
The impact of these policies is devastating. In Afghanistan, young girls who once dreamed of becoming doctors, engineers, or teachers now face a future confined to their homes. The prohibition of education for girls not only stifles their potential but also condemns entire communities to cycles of poverty and stagnation. Women barred from employment are stripped of their economic independence and reduced to a state of perpetual dependence on male relatives.

In Iraq, the legalisation of child marriage threatens to rob countless young girls of their childhoods. These girls will face lifelong physical, emotional, and psychological harm, trapped in marriages that they are too young to understand or consent to. The societal normalisation of such practices perpetuates a culture where women and girls are valued solely for their ability to serve men, whether as wives, mothers, or caretakers.

A Call to Action
The suppression of women in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other parts of the Islamic world is not merely a regional issue, it is a global crisis. The international community must take a principled stand, recognising that gender equality is integral to peace, stability, and development.

Key Recommendations:
Diplomatic Pressure: Governments and international organisations must apply consistent diplomatic pressure on regimes that institutionalise gender-based oppression.
Support for Women’s Organisations: Local grassroots movements must receive financial and political support to advocate for women’s rights.

Global Advocacy: Sustained awareness campaigns are needed to ensure that the plight of women in these regions remains a global priority.
Targeted Sanctions: Economic sanctions should be directed at individuals and entities responsible for oppressive policies.

Learning from History

Roman governance, while autocratic, relied on pragmatism and integration. Local elites in provinces like Mesopotamia were often co-opted into the administrative machinery, creating a balance between Roman and local traditions. This approach facilitated a level of stability and development in the provinces.

By contrast, modern Islamic regimes like the Taliban reject integration, prioritising ideological purity over practical governance. Their policies, particularly toward women, undermine the very social and economic fabric of the regions they govern, leading to widespread poverty, instability, and international isolation.

This systemic repression of women is not simply an Afghan issue, nor is it confined to the borders of one country. It is a global challenge that spans continents, and the repercussions are felt worldwide. Whether in Afghanistan, Iraq, or across various regions in the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa, and increasingly so in Western Europe and the United Kingdom, patriarchal regimes continue to exploit religious and cultural traditions to justify the suppression of women.

These patterns of control are often masked as religious observance or cultural preservation, but they are, in reality, about maintaining power and control over half the population. In many cases, such regimes have created a binary between Islam and modernity, painting any attempt to improve the status of women as a Western imposition or an attack on religious values. This simplistic dichotomy ignores the rich, diverse histories of Islamic societies where women were once revered, educated, and engaged in public life.

The Moral Imperative
The Roman approach to governance, while far from perfect, offers lessons for modern times. The integration of diverse cultures, emphasis on infrastructure, and relative stability fostered growth and participation, even for women in some spheres. Modern regimes like the Taliban, with their rigid ideological frameworks, stifle such progress, perpetuating cycles of repression and underdevelopment.

The international community must consider these historical parallels when addressing the challenges in Afghanistan and Iraq. The oppression of women is not merely a local issue but a global crisis that echoes the broader decline of societies that fail to harness the potential of all their citizens. Just as Rome’s inclusive (if limited) approach to governance allowed its provinces to thrive, modern nations must advocate for systems that empower women rather than erase them.

By examining the contrasts between Roman rule and today’s Islamist regimes, it becomes evident that the regression in women’s rights is not rooted in cultural inevitability but in deliberate choices by oppressive regimes. Recognising this is the first step toward challenging these systems and ensuring that progress, not regression, defines the future of these regions.
And as we watch the news and reflect on the state of the world, we must remember that these struggles are not just political but deeply personal for millions of women who are fighting to reclaim their right to a future.

The erasure of women’s rights in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond is an affront to humanity. It reflects a worldview that devalues half the population, depriving societies of their full potential. The global community must rise to the challenge, recognising that silence is complicity. By standing with the women and girls of these regions, we affirm not just their rights but the universal values of dignity, equality, and justice.