Mariam and Laila were watching when Taliban came. From the expression of Laila, it could be said that they were happy when Taliban took over the country.
They thought the war would be ended when Taliban bore down Mujahideen. In the novel, Khaled Hosseini gave the explanation about Taliban, “Taliban
was a guerilla force, made up of young Pashtun men whose families had fled to Pakistan during the war against Soviets” 266. I also give explanation about
Taliban in chapter 2. Taliban means student or seekers of knowledge. The members of Taliban were Pashtun students who had strong believed of Islam.
Most of the members of Taliban were recruited from madrassas. The leader of Taliban was Mullah Omar. Taliban gave him a title emir al-muminin commander
of the faithful. On October 1997, the Taliban changed the name of Afghanistan became the
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Taliban were against the centralizing and modernizing programs in Kabul. It made women lost their human rights. At that
time, many women decided to suicide in order to end their suffering. As a matter of fact, Taliban regime was the darkest era in Afghanistan. Here are some of the
effects that women got during the Taliban era.
1. Education
One of the rules which Taliban made for women was women had no rights to receive any education. Girls were forbidden from attending school. They
even could not have private education at home. Education was just for men. There were many madrassas or religious school but they were only for boys.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Although the prohibition for women to school had been implemented since Mujahideen regime, but Taliban regime insisted again about it. Actually, in
the 1960s, the numbers of female students were increase. The educational systems were giving equal opportunity for both men and women. Sometimes,
the government gave support for women to have further study in foreign countries. Since Mujahideen came, the educational systems began to change,
especially during Taliban era. Taliban made women loss their rights to have an education. They could not study at their houses. Education for girls after
the age of eight was prohibited. The rule stated, “All schools for girls will be closed immediately” 271.
Laila was lucky because she could have a good education at school and home. Her father was a teacher and he wanted his children to have better
education. Laila could have an appropriate education in the school during Soviet Union regime. When Mujahideen came, she could not go to school.
Fortunately, her father always taught her at home. She was lucky to have such kind of father. During Taliban regime Laila could not have education since
her parents had died and she had to marry to Rasheed.
2. Work
Many women in Kabul had worked before Taliban came. They worked as doctor, nurse and teacher. Since the Taliban ruled the country, women were
banned to work. Women were lost their independence and their human rights. In one of history books also explained that there was a total ban for women
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
on working outside of the home. Whereas, mostly women who worked in those field than men. Since women were unemployment in working at
company, government or hospital, many services at those fields were decreased. Taliban also stated the rule, “Women are forbidden from working”
271. Both characters Mariam and Laila were not working. They were just doing
work at home as a housewives. In spite of the fact that civilians were suffered from poorness, women still could not help their husband to raise money.
Mariam and Laila were also suffered from poorness because Rasheed could not earn much money after his shop had been burned. They could not help
Rasheed since the law prohibited them.
3. Seclusion
