Women's Voices in Afghanistan: Adressing the Taliban's vow to reform
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Amina Khan, Director at the Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) @ Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), is giving the Taliban the benefit of the doubt. "The (Taliban) have exhibited certain changes if we compare them to what they were two decades ago. And time and again they have been saying that they're trying to discipline their fighters, their members. They're trying to re-educate them on areas such as civic sense, rights and duties." Ms. Khan truly believes that they are embracing a softer, more pragmatic approach to avoid the international isolation they suffered during their brutal rein of the 1990's. "They have moved away from their rather callous policies towards women." Ms. Kahn does acknowledge that only time will tell if the Taliban will be capable of following through on their recent promises, once "unheard of from the group: While they are saying things that the international community wants to hear regarding human rights, women's rights, an inclusive government, and a constitution based on nationalism ... I think we have to take it with a pinch of salt. At the end of the day, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. We'll see if the Taliban can deliver on this front."