The Taliban formed the government of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 after rising to power following years of civil war. They imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law including severe restrictions on women such as banning them from work or education and requiring them to be fully covered and accompanied by a male relative when leaving home. Women faced punishments such as public flogging or execution for violations of Taliban laws. After being removed from power in 2001 following the US invasion of Afghanistan in response to their support of al-Qaeda, the Taliban remains an active insurgent group fighting NATO and Afghan forces.

3. Who Are the Taliban? Read the first paragraph on the Wikipedia page about the Taliban and then answer the following questions. 1. What does the word Taliban actually mean? 2. When did they form the government of Afghanistan and who forced them from power? 3. Click on the links for the following concepts and then define them in your own words: Insurgency Guerilla War 4. The Taliban as a social and political “movement” (group) is made up of “volunteers” from which Afghan tribe and people of what neighboring countries to Afghanistan? 5. Where does the US government believe that the Taliban’s headquarters is (city and country).

4. Taliban Leadership and Organization 1. Who is considered by many as the current “leader” of the Taliban? 2. Follow the link to his page and then answer the following questions: This man is on the US government’s most wanted list for what 3 activities? What is one of the only physical details really known about this man? How did he get this physical feature? Put a photo of the man here and then explain why it is not an easy process to do.

5. Origins of the Taliban Scroll down the main Taliban Wikipedia page until you find the heading Origins in order to answer the following questions: 1. What are the two competing stories about the creation of the Taliban? THINKING QUESTION: Of the 2 stories a supporter would choose to believe which one? Of the 2 stories an opponent would probably choose to believe which one? PUT A PHOTO OF THE TALIBAN HERE. Make sure you provide the link and be sensitive to what you include – make sure it is school appropriate.

6. Taliban Treatment of Women For the following slides please follow this link Taliban Treatment of Women 1. Read the very first paragraph and then summarize the Taliban’s quotation about its reasons for harsh treatment of women below: Under the Gender Policies heading, summarize the 8 points about the treatment of women by the Taliban provided:

7. Dress Code and Mobility Dress code stuff: What is the name for the traditional outfit that women had to wear in Taliban Afghanistan? What was the main reason for this strict control of women's’ dress? INSERT PHOTO HERE - 1. Scroll back up the page to find the definition of “mahram”. What are some other restrictions that women faced regarding moving around the cities and countryside in Afghanistan under the Taliban? (3) Why would an all girls’ orphanage be practically a prison under this system?

8. Employment and Education Were women allowed to be educated under Taliban law? What age did they have to stop going to school? Find the quote that illustrates that the Taliban actually thought that they had increased women’s rights in Afghanistan. Were women allowed to work at all under the Taliban rules (tricky question)? What industries were particularly hit hard by the Taliban’s work policies for women? Pick 2.

9. Health Care and Forced Confinement Give 2 reasons it was really tough for women to receive health care when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. A study done in 1991 concluded that roughly what percentage of Afghan women they surveyed were showing signs of mental distress and depression? Describe 3 other cultural prohibitions that were imposed on women or about women if Taliban ruled Afghanistan

10. Punishments for Breaking Taliban Laws Read the information about the types of punishments women (and men) were subjected to in Afghanistan during the Taliban’s rule and summarize 2 extreme examples below: Who is the woman in the photo on this part of the web-page? What is happening to her? Where is it happening? What crime is she accused of? What happened to her for 3 years before this event? What organization took the film this photo is a screenshot from?

11. Women’s Resistance to the Taliban What is RAWA? Who was the founder of RAWA and what happened to her? What does RAWA work for? 3 main things. Explain what the Golden Needle Sewing School was. How did women “sneak in” 2 details. Why was the area that this school was in one of the most oppressed by the Taliban? 2 reasons.

12. Now that you know … Write a personal reaction on this slide (3-4 sentences) in which you express your opinion about the treatment of women in Afghanistan by the Taliban. How does it make you feel? Why?

13. Do we … As citizens of a country in which we are relatively free, safe, and equal do we have the responsibility to help places like Afghanistan become more like us? Why or why not? Explain your answer in 3 – 4 sentences.