'This Is Not The Way': Afghan Women Push Back On U.S.-Taliban Peace Talks

In recent weeks, thousands of women and young people in Afghanistan and Afghans living abroad have been protesting and speaking out against peace talks taking place between the U.S. and the Taliban.

Activists say that the views of the Taliban — whose harsh rule from 1996 to 2001 was notorious for repression of women — do not reflect the views and needs of Afghan people. They fear a Taliban return to power will undermine the progress that the country has worked to build since the regime fell nearly two decades ago.

In February, a group called , along with the office of Afghanistan's First Lady Rula Ghani or tribal council, that brought together from the country's 34 provinces to air their views, concerns and , which so far has largely excluded women — as well as the Afghan government itself. In their province-by-province statements, posted on Twitter, the women have emphasized the need for education, justice, economic opportunity and representation on Afghanistan's negotiating team.