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Abstract: The conflict in Afghanistan, which has spanned 41 years, presents many complex issues with which policymakers must grapple. The human rights situation of Afghan women is prominent among these realities. The overt politicization of Afghan women, their rights, and their role within society can be traced back to 1978 when a coup d'etat resulted in the fall of Daud Khan's government, and commenced the bloody militarization of communist factions and mujahedeen. The subsequent history of Afghanistan's ongoing war has intensified the exclusion of Afghan women from the social, political, and economic arenas. This has not only resulted in the exacerbation of widespread poverty, but in the perpetuation of the Afghan conflict itself. With the foreign presence in Afghanistan feeling the pressure to end the nearly two-decade intervention, peace and negotiation with opposing non-state actors has dominated the current dialogue. Afghan women continue to be excluded from the decision-making processes and the lack of access to leadership roles. If Afghanistan continues to exclude women from peace processes, including negotiations, a sustainable peace is not achievable. Feminism must play a crucial role in paving the way forward for Afghanistan to adopt a long-lasting peace. This article documents the author's personal experience as she witnessed the transformation of Afghanistan from the extreme left government of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan to the extreme right government of the Taliban and examines the impact for the future of women's human rights in Afghanistan.
INTRODUCTION
Afghanistan opened 2019 with robust talks of peace, which now dominate headlines about the country. The Taliban and the United States are invested in finding a solution to end their nearly 18 year long war. However, we must look at history to avoid the repetition of past mistakes, which undermine human rights principles, especially human rights. The images and realities of repressed Afghan women hidden beneath their blue burqas shocked not only the international community but was used to help justify the 2001 US-led intervention in Afghanistan. Yet, the current peace negotiation being brokered seems to have forgotten the dire human rights situation of Afghan women and has neglected the fact that their future role within the country will have a significant impact on attaining a truly sustainable and long-lasting peace. The politicization...