Afghan women

The Global Pattern of Patriarchal Oppression: From Afghanistan to Russia

The world often views conflicts and social injustices in isolation, seeing them as disparate events tied to unique histories, religions, or political systems. However, a deeper analysis reveals a troubling, recurring pattern: the use of power and ideology to suppress women's rights, which in turn leads to the decay of civil society and the oppression of minorities. 

By examining the current situation in Afghanistan and drawing parallels to historical and contemporary examples in Ireland and Russia, we can see how this patriarchal strategy manifests across different cultures and ideologies.The rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan is a stark case study. The initial "resistance" to foreign influence, which was originally a struggle for national sovereignty against U.S. and Russian interests, was framed as a holy war. In the vacuum created by decades of conflict, Islam was weaponized as an ideological tool to unite people against an external, imperial (and Christian) power. However, the result was not liberation but a new form of oppression. The Taliban's version of Islam, a rigid and autocratic theocracy, has little to do with the diverse cultural fabric of Afghanistan and everything to do with consolidating power. The consequences are tragically evident in the systematic removal of women from public life, denying them education and the ability to work, and creating a society where they are deprived of their fundamental human rights.

This narrative of a struggle for liberation morphing into an oppressive, religion-fueled patriarchy is not unique to Afghanistan. The conflict in Ireland, for example, which was fundamentally a fight against British colonialism, was recast as a religious struggle between Catholics and Protestants. As power structures solidified, the Catholic Church's influence grew, leading to a severe rollback of women's rights. Institutions like the Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes are chilling reminders of how a patriarchal system, in the name of "traditional values," can control women's bodies and lives, punishing those who deviate from its strict norms.

This pattern extends far beyond religious or nationalist conflicts. Highly controlling systems—whether rooted in political ideologies like fascism and communism or religious doctrines—tend to exert pressure on women and strictly define their societal roles. These patriarchal systems, which are inherently fragile, must constantly seek to reinforce their power. In doing so, they target the most vulnerable first. By oppressing half of the population based on gender, they create a societal foundation that is less stable and less able to support the rights of minorities. The resulting instability often leads to an economic downturn that harms everyone, including the men who uphold the system.

In Russia, we see this dynamic at play in the post-Soviet era. After the fall of communism, which had suppressed religion in favor of a single political ideology, a new vacuum emerged. Vladimir Putin strategically filled this void with the Russian Orthodox Church, co-opting it to support his political agenda and promote a return to "traditional values." A key component of this shift was a direct attack on women's rights. In 2017, for instance, a law was passed that decriminalized a first-time instance of domestic violence for batterers, as long as it didn't cause "serious bodily harm." This move was widely seen as a severe setback, signaling to abusers that the state would no longer interfere in what they deemed a private family matter.

This same playbook, of targeting women's and minorities' rights to consolidate political power, is visible in the United States. While not a religious theocracy, the country's government is increasingly influenced by conservative Christian nationalism. This movement's rise has been accompanied by a rollback of fundamental rights, most notably the 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which eliminated the constitutional right to abortion. This move, which restricts women's bodily autonomy, runs parallel to the increased targeting of immigrant communities through restrictive border policies and hostile rhetoric. The intertwining of these two issues demonstrates how a patriarchal and nationalist agenda seeks to control both women and minorities as a means of exerting power and enforcing a rigid social order.

Given this global context, the plight of women in Afghanistan demands urgent attention from the  INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST MOVEMENT. Banned from public life and education, Afghan women are increasingly isolated and without access to healthcare or professional support. As the last generation of educated female professionals is erased, an entire population of women will be left with no voice, no power, and no tools to advocate for their own human rights.  WESTERN FEMINISTS have a moral imperative to step in, even if it means female doctors and aid workers having to comply with local dress codes and customs. This is not about saving them but about providing the resources and support that enable Afghan women to survive and, in time, rebuild their lives and communities from within. We are not merely witnessing isolated tragedies but a global pattern of oppression that must be confronted with unified action and a shared understanding of its true nature.