In total, twenty-nine prohibitions imposed on Afghan women during the Taliban’s first rule in the 1990s resurfaced and have lingered for years. After the group returned to power, these bans resurfaced in August 2021, with August 15 marking a turning point for many. The bans range from restrictions on attending school to limits on speaking with men who are not family members, and they are echoed in the 29 Looks, a virtual art exhibition that will open physically in November in Segovia.
The exhibition is produced and coordinated by F8 Tours / F8 Estudio in Tudela, with testimonies from refugees who fled Afghanistan. Among the witnesses are Fawzia Koofi, former Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Assembly and a leading advocate for women’s political participation, and Hatice Emin, a presenter on Afghan state television. Both figures symbolize the gains Afghan women have fought for, and both have endured personal upheaval in pursuit of those rights. Emin’s path from a traditional arranged marriage that confined her to home life to becoming a recognized journalist on national television illustrates resilience born of hard work and determination. Her story is recounted as a testament to the power of perseverance in the face of gender-based barriers.
Hatice Emin, who emerged as a new presenter on state television just as the Taliban seized control, spoke about the abrupt shift when women were barred from returning to work. In her own words, the change came suddenly, and many colleagues were asked to stay home. The situation forced Emin to relocate from an evacuation plane to Torrejón de Ardoz and later to Salamanca, where she is nearing the completion of her degree. The personal cost of displacement is clear: a husband who chose to remain behind to protect their children, a decision that underscores the broader toll on families when the regime enforces discriminatory rules against women.
As these events unfolded, the world’s attention shifted away from Afghanistan, a point emphasized by Antonio Pampliega, a veteran war photographer. He notes that the Ukraine conflict briefly eclipsed Afghan issues, but his own work, created during trips between 2017 and 2018, remains a stark reminder of the reality on the ground. The exhibit includes a room dedicated to his photographs alongside other visual pieces addressing prohibitions, violence against women, forced marriage, and female suicide, offering a powerful, multi-faceted view of Afghan society under siege.
to be forgotten
Afghanistan remains a perilous place for women, even as the international community sometimes loses focus on the crisis. The photographer Pampliega describes the Taliban’s strategy as one of gradual restriction, creating an illusion of increasing freedom while movement for women remains tightly controlled. The arrival of the Taliban did not create freedom where none existed; it intensified an already fragile situation for half the population. This perspective is echoed in the photographs and interviews that document life under occupation, illustrating the daily realities of women living with restricted rights.
Through intimate portrayals of Afghan women, the project highlights moments when rights that were previously assumed disappeared or were pushed aside. Rural women faced more pronounced barriers, while urban areas saw some incremental steps for youth. The narratives paint a stark picture of what women endured and continue to endure, making the exhibit a compelling record of resilience and struggle. Begonia Osambela, alongside Carlos Forcada, another photographer, coordinated the project with more than seventy professionals, including renowned photographers, writers, and journalists. Their collaborative effort sheds light on the irrationalities of Taliban power through an artistic lens and a commitment to truth.
These twenty-nine prohibitions contribute to a deepening sense of oppression, turning many lives into a struggle to cope. The exhibition also spotlights pressing societal issues such as suicide, gender-based violence, and the widespread practice of forced marriages. While arranged marriages may have cultural roots, the economic pressures in Afghanistan push some families to marry off their daughters as a survival strategy. The accompanying testimonies reveal the human cost of these customs, with some girls’ expressions suppressed and others choosing to end their pain through drastic means, hoping to escape a life of abuse.