Meryl Streep compares Afghan women to cats under Taliban rule

Meryl Streep has used her platform to denounce the Taliban's brutal regime in Afghanistan, drawing a stark comparison between the freedoms enjoyed by cats and the severe restrictions imposed on Afghan women.

Speaking at a UN event to raise awareness of Afghan women's rights, Streep highlighted the irony that even animals in Kabul possess more liberties than women. She pointed out that while a cat can freely roam the streets and bask in the sun, Afghan girls are confined to their homes and denied basic freedoms like education and public participation.

Streep's scathing remarks underscore the Taliban's relentless efforts to suppress women's rights in Afghanistan. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has imposed a series of draconian measures, including:

• Forced Hijab: Women are required to wear a full-body burqa, covering their faces and bodies entirely.
• Educational Restrictions: Girls are barred from attending secondary school and university, effectively denying them access to education.
• Workplace Bans: Women are prohibited from working in many professions, particularly those deemed "inappropriate" by the Taliban.
• Public Restrictions: Women are not allowed to travel alone, visit public places, or speak in public without a male relative's permission.

Streep's plea for international action echoes the concerns of human rights organizations and world leaders who have condemned the Taliban's treatment of women. The actress emphasized the urgent need for the international community to intervene and prevent the "slow suffocation" of Afghan women and girls.

As the Taliban's oppressive regime continues to tighten its grip on Afghanistan, the plight of women and girls in the country remains a pressing humanitarian crisis. Meryl Streep's powerful words serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for global solidarity and action to protect the fundamental rights of Afghan women.