In August 2021, the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan after the US administration under Joe Biden decided to pull out of the country after two decades. As entire infrastructures for politics, civil society, and public services collapsed, the situation of women has been worsening on a daily basis under the Taliban's patriarchal regime of violence and domination.

In this episode, podcast host Dilar Dirik is joined by outspoken activists Noshin Rad and Homira Rezai to speak about the situation of women in Afghanistan, with particular focus on the historically oppressed Hazara community, which is specifically targeted by the Taliban.  They discuss the history of war, violence, and occupation in Afghanistan as well as the latest developments on the ground.

Noshin Rad is a social scientist with a Master's Degree in Migration and Diaspora Studies from SOAS, University of London.

Dr Homira Rezai holds a PhD in Medical Research and is the chair of the Hazara Committee in the UK (HCUK), a non-profit organization working for the British-Hazara Community in the country and advocates for the rights of Hazaras in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Through her work at HCUK, she has written several reports and parliamentary briefs on the Hazaras providing information on the the situation on the ground.

This project is made possible through the University of Oxford’s Public Engagement with Research fund.

Music: 
Gole Sadbarg - Elaha Soroor
Sarzamin-e Man - Dawood Sarkhosh