Being a woman in Afghanistan
Sep 14, 2026 · 13m
Summary
CBC’s Margaret Evans reports on an unnamed Afghan woman whose life was upended by the Taliban’s 2021 return to power. Once a promising aid worker, she is now confined to her home under strict decrees that ban education, work, and public movement without a male guardian. Despite being deemed eligible for Canadian immigration, her application was lost in bureaucratic chaos, leaving her feeling abandoned by the West. She recently married for protection and continues to study virtually, hoping for international support to escape her "jail-like" existence.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Rinse laundry service
Intro: 25th anniversary of 9/11 and Afghanistan
Meeting the anonymous Afghan woman
Her life before the Taliban return
Canada's failed immigration promise
Daily life and restrictions under the Taliban
Specific decrees restricting women's rights
Mental health and feeling forgotten by the West
Engagement and the need for a male guardian
The bureaucratic collapse of her visa application
Government silence and catch-22 situation
Letter to PM Carney and final message
Outro and show credits
Listen ad-free on Castria