Support Afghanistan’s women

The current situation facing women and anyone else who resists the Taliban is dire — the Taliban are well-known for their human rights abuses, ranging from public beatings to televised beheadings. Moreover, this is an absolute tragedy for the lives of millions of women left in Afghanistan; under Taliban rule, they cannot go to school, receive an education or even leave their homes by themselves.

The plight of women under Taliban rule really struck a chord with me because it is unfathomable how women in the 21st Century could be denied the same opportunities and freedoms that I had taken for granted all my life.

Since I was a little girl, I was given countless opportunities to succeed in various fields, from athletic to academic. As I have grown older and assumed more responsibility, I have strived to broaden opportunities for women in the UK with the organisations I volunteer for.

From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban held power over roughly three-quarters of Afghanistan and enforced a strict interpretation of Sharia or Islamic law. To the general population, the Taliban and their allies…