Resisting Modern Slavery in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan: Reflections from a grassroots network on their work–and why they shouldn’t be doing it in the first place
Since August 2021, the Afghan Solidarity Coalition (ASC)–a loose network of universities, activists, and students in London–has been advocating for and supporting Afghans left behind in Afghanistan. These Afghans are at risk of being murdered by the Taliban as a result of their affilitation with Western organizations; however, Western governments have reneged on their promise and moral obligation to evacuate these allies. In many cases, these Afghans–and in particular women–are now experiencing a form of slavery at the hands of the Taliban: they have been deprived of their freedom of speech, freedom of movement, right to education, and right to envision and pursue the future they want for themselves and their families. This post comprises a series of reflections from a group of students within ASC on their work supporting Afghan women human rights activists. The students consider the impact of their grassroots work within the broader political context surrounding Afghanistan, the horrific stories they encountered during the course of their work, and the inevitable power dynamics that shape the contours of their experiences.