Inside Afghanistan’s secret schools for girls
Summary
Five years after the Taliban’s return, BBC correspondent Lise Doucette reports on the systematic erosion of Afghan women’s rights, including bans on secondary education and most employment. The episode highlights secret schools and online learning as acts of resistance against a regime that has isolated the country. While the Taliban seeks international recognition, the UN describes the situation as gender apartheid, leaving millions in humanitarian crisis.
Topics discussed
Introduction: 20 years since the burka protest and Taliban return
Lise Doucette returns to Afghanistan after 3 years
Secret schools: Girls studying in fear of the morality police
Online education and rural support for girls' schooling
Women in the private sector: From airport security to jam factories
Taliban officials defend restrictions citing Sharia law
Systematic erosion of rights: Marriage, travel, and gender apartheid
Taliban governance: Safety, opium reduction, and infrastructure
International relations: Recognition by East vs. isolation from West
Debate on engagement: Talking to the Taliban vs. pressure
US State Department stance and episode credits
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