A twelve year old girl was raped by a group of armed people in Khenjan district of Baghlan Province. Habibullah Maqsoudi, chief of Police headquarter in the district has said to news agencies that the incident took place on Thursday, Sept 27. Reportedly, a group of armed men invaded the house of the girl when she was alone with her brother. They killed her brother and kidnapped the girl and then raped her for several times till they were captured by police.

Earlier this year, a heart-wrenching picture of a girl named Sahar Gul shocked people. She was imprisoned for six months and tortured inhumanly by her husband's family. Indeed, Baghlan Province has become highly famous due to rising violence against women. According to reports, last year 181 cases of women's rights violation were registered by security officials. This year, the number has increased tremendously: 200 cases have already been registered.

Indeed, the women rights violation cases publicized by media have increased. Recently a girl was lashed out in the public in Jaghori district of Ghazni province which sparked hot discussions in virtual world.
Some posted sentimental comments and condemned the action particularly when it was revealed that the boy who was blamed for having illegal sexual relationship was released for paying 70 thousand Afghanis.

Last week, tens of university students held demonstration and asked government to take all necessary steps to stop the so-called "desert court". It is not clear that whether the level of violence has increased or whether due to revolution of press, they find way into publicity. Anyhow, people are worried that simultaneous to foreign military withdrawal and declining financial assistance to the country, human rights institutions, civil activists, and government get weaker and be unable to protect women's rights. From a weaker control, government gets forced to compromise on various issues, particularly women's rights.

The concept of Taliban and their approach towards women accelerate the nightmarish prospective. People maintain that Taliban have not changed an inch and they will, if return to power, impose the same radical and restrictive interpretation of Shariah laws. However, efforts have been made to change the general concept of common people from Taliban and Taliban regime through innovating new terms and playing with words and terms.

Watching media, it is not very complicated to understand that how terms that signal friendship and fraternity have largely poked in and become the daily dish of media and newspapers. During past few years, many have tried to challenge the notion that people have from rebellions and insurgency. The question that who is Taliban largely circulates among Afghan people? Terms like good Taliban and bad Taliban, puppet and real Afghan Taliban, radical and moderate Taliban are familiar to each and every people.

Previously, people had a definite and clear answer to the question. They do not anymore. The concept that who are Taliban is somehow distorted as there are people who challenge that notion. Questions are put like this who are Taliban? Are they still those who established Emarat Islami? Are they students graduated from Maddressah? No doubt, there is huge number of students graduated from Afghan and Pakistani religious Madressah, but they are not linked to any insurgent groups fighting foreign and Afghan armies. They also maintain that Taliban are not those who actually established Emirate. They might not prevent girls going to school if they are provided the chance to occupy a post in the government.

There are also other definitions like Taliban are consisted of various groups that do not share a common ideology. Instead what has made them to stick together is common interest—opposing Afghan government. However, efforts worked out somehow and created confusion among common people but least affected educationally above layer of the society.

They still strongly believe that Taliban regime is a kind that be exposed to change that easily. They still strongly believe that fights for establishment of an Islamic regime based on understanding of Mullah Mohammad Omer and other Taliban leaders.

Without going against or favor of the notion, there is something certain that Taliban leaders would not accept the woman participation in civil services and other social, economic and political sphere as they are involved now. Even those who try to depict a new image form Taliban, they know it. And there is the possibility the very people now holding administrative or political posts are against forcedly remained silent against woman social and political broke out. If the circumstances go to their favor, they would be proved far conservative and traditionalists.

Thus, there is one thing clear that, not only Taliban militants, but some people within the administration have anti-women tilt if the circumstances change and they are provided the chance to express their inner tendency. The danger would be multiplied on the absence of foreign forces in whose presence many dare not to pressurize government to include their absurd interpretation of women rights and restrict laws previously approved with annexation of conditions.

But nobody should doubt there is occurring fundamental change in Afghan society. Public conscience has become much sensitive and there is growing support for women rights. In many big cities, common people's concept of women has undergone to fundamental change due to exposition to circulation of ideas and theories put by liberal wings. Three years ago, girls were walking generally in group in order to feel safer against frequently boys' teasings and cheatings. This defensive position from public and much assertive position of new Afghan women generation are the signs of fracture in the conservative culture which is promising.