On October 16, 2024, the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies hosted an X space titled "The Status of Women in Panjshir's Culture and Politics: From ‘Quasi-Taliban’ to Equality." The event brought together a group of women, activists, and female stakeholders from Panjshir to discuss the role of women in this province.

Mitra Forugh highlighted the central role of women in preserving and transmitting the cultural values of Panjshir, referring to the region's history of resistance and rich culture. According to Forugh, women in Panjshir play an active role in daily life and in the political and social arenas. Forugh also mentioned the role of women in preserving traditional knowledge and passing it on to future generations. She introduced older women as guardians of Panjshir's culture and history, who have kept the cultural identity of this region alive by narrating stories and legends. In addition to their cultural role, women in Panjshir also play a significant role in the family economy. Forugh said that with the fall of the first Taliban regime and creating of a more open political environment, women in Panjshir had more opportunities to participate in various fields. Some women were able to enter the fields of education, health, and even politics and were elected as representatives of the people in parliament. Forugh's speech indicated that despite the challenges and limitations, women in Panjshir have played an important role in preserving cultural identity, economic development, and political participation in this region.

"Women in Panjshir have benefited from educational and awareness-raising programs in their efforts to enhance their social and political roles. These programs have allowed them to become more visible in public arenas and showcase their leadership and management abilities. Among the women who have succeeded in this field are teachers, nurses, and government employees who have played an active role in improving the lives of women and children in Panjshir."

Nigara Mirdad began her speech by criticizing the title of the program and explicitly stated that the existence of quasi-Taliban forces in Panjshir is a baseless claim. She emphasized, referencing the history of the Afghan people's struggles, that the Mujahideen and the Taliban were two distinct groups with different ideologies. Mirdad highlighted the significant role of women in the struggles of the people of this province by providing examples of women's active presence in Panjshir's administrations, elections, and civil institutions. She also mentioned the signing of the Women's Charter by Ahmad Shah Massoud, the operation of girls' schools during the first resistance period, and the presence of women in various sectors of society, including health, education, and media.

Mirdad attributed the absence of women in various fields to prolonged war, lack of awareness of fundamental rights, and socioeconomic factors. She also emphasized the sensitive role of women as mothers and wives and the challenges arising from this role in their political participation.

"Another obstacle to women's active participation in politics is the role of motherhood and wifehood, which is a sensitive and continuous role that dedicates a woman's choice to herself and does not allow her to study and gain political awareness. This factor causes women to lose the chance of employment outside the home, depriving them of access to financial resources."

Azita Nazhand, emphasizing the close relationship between literacy and awareness of women's empowerment, discussed the important role of these two factors in the recent struggles of Afghan women, especially women in Panjshir. She believes that increasing literacy empowers women economically, changes cultural attitudes, leads to their political awareness, and enables them to raise their voices against oppressive and tyrannical systems. The recent struggles of Afghan women, supported by the international community, demonstrate the importance of literacy and awareness in creating social change.

"The fighting spirit and freedom-loving nature of the people of this region has made women's education a priority. Over the past years and after long wars, most Panjshiri families have realized the importance of education for girls and have supported it."

Tooba Lotfi, emphasizing the central role of women in Panjshir's long-standing struggles, especially against the Taliban, shared her experiences and those of other Panjshiri women. Referring to the active presence of women and their participation in social and cultural activities, she emphasized the fighting spirit and freedom-loving nature of women in Panjshir. Lotfi also mentioned the challenges in education and access to facilities in Panjshir and stressed the existence of a spirit of solidarity and support for women in this region. Stating that the struggle for the people of Panjshir is a legacy, she emphasized the continuation of this struggle until complete freedom is achieved and spoke about documenting the crimes of the Taliban by women as a tool for conveying the voices of the people to the world.

The audience's opinions were also heard in the final part of this space.

Among them, Fatima Sarkash, presenting shocking statistics, provided a realistic picture of the situation of women in Panjshir. Citing a report published by the Panjshir Provincial Economy Department in 2019, she showed that despite the historical resistance of the people of Panjshir, gender inequality is severe in this region.

According to this report, none of the three specialists in the province's health sector were women. In the education sector, statistics show that the number of girls studying at higher levels is significantly lower than that of boys. For example, in the teacher training college, the ratio of women to men was less than one-third. Also, there were no female professors in the university. Sarkash, referring to these statistics, emphasized that this is only part of the bitter reality of gender inequality in Panjshir. Drawing on her field experiences, she spoke of the challenges faced by Panjshiri women in education and social participation. According to Sarkash, even in areas that are more culturally open than other parts of Panjshir, traditional beliefs and gender discrimination still pose a serious obstacle to women's progress. Emphasizing the importance of honestly narrating the situation of women in Panjshir, she called for focusing on existing challenges instead of exaggerating achievements so that practical solutions can be provided to improve the situation of women in this region. Sarkash also pointed out that despite the historical resistance of the people of Panjshir, the culture of this region is still influenced by traditional and patriarchal beliefs, which is one of the main reasons for the continuation of gender inequality in this region.