Taliban's defeat: Mother's name to be added in Afghanistan's nation ID cards

Afghanistan has been living under the shadow of war for 18 years now. For the women of Afghanistan, these 18 years have been a nightmare. Their plight has been largely hidden away due to the repressive social norms.

While no one knows when peace will return to Afghanistan, the women have secured a major victory as the Afghan government has announced that the name of the mother will now be printed on every identity card in Afghanistan.

In most countries around the world,one's mother's name will be part of the government records, and any form without mother's name is considered incomplete. However, in Afghanistan, sharing your mother's name is considered a matter of shame.

After a relentless campaign, the women in Afghanistan have registered a small victory. Afghan citizens will soon have the names of their mother printed along with their father. It will appear on Afghanistan's national identification card.

For three years now, #WhereIsMyName has been amplifying the voices of women. It's a significant effort in a country like Afghanistan where even using a woman's name in public is frowned upon. So much so, many consider it an insult — enough to trigger violence.

Women are referred to in vague terms such as 'Mother of children', 'My household' and 'My weak one'. Men in remote towns even use names of animals such as goat and chicken.

Afghanistan wasn't always so misogynistic. In the 1960s and early 70s,it had a very progressive outlook. Women could pursue an education, get a job and even vote in an election. Women in Afghanistan got the right to vote in 1919, ayear before women were allowed to cast their ballot in the United States.

However, all of this changed with the rise of the Taliban.

In 2011, Afghanistan was ranked the most dangerous country for women. In the last two decades, women have gone back to school and they hold important government jobs. However,the threat from the Taliban is persistent. By November 2019, nearly 6,500 cases of violence against women were recorded.

With the United States chasing a peace deal in Afghanistan, women fear that their voices will be left out. At this time of uncertainty, the decision to add names of mothers on government identification is a boost for women rights.

This is a change that still requires parliamentary approval. Officials are confident the amendment will sail through.

The lawmakers may have taken a small step here, but for the women of Afghanistan, this is a giant leap towards equality.