Afghan Tourism or Taliban Whitewashing?

In recent years, tourism to Afghanistan has surged, fuelled largely by social media influencers eager to portray the country as a hidden gem. Their polished videos showcase breathtaking landscapes, bustling markets, and welcoming locals, often paired with bold claims like, ‘Afghanistan hasn’t been this safe in 20 years.’ These portrayals, however, are nothing but a façade, hiding the grim reality of systemic oppression under the Taliban regime.

Since 2022, thousands of tourists have flocked to Afghanistan, enticed by these glowing endorsements. Many return with tales of breathtaking scenery and warm welcomes, but their curated experiences stand in cruel contrast to the lived realities of Afghan women. While tourists enjoy a carefully staged version of Afghanistan, local women are stripped of their fundamental rights—confined to their homes, barred from education, and silenced in every aspect of public life. These travellers may walk freely through vibrant markets, but Afghan women cannot even leave their homes without a male guardian. Is the blind eye to their suffering worth the clicks, likes, and applause these influencers seek? The Taliban think so, as they gleefully exploit tourism to legitimise their brutal regime.

In videos that border on propaganda, influencers pose with Taliban guards, praise the so-called ‘modesty culture’, or even share moments of casual camaraderie with Taliban fighters (the ‘Talibros’, as some ignoramuses call them). Some go as far as celebrating that some Afghan women can show their faces, framing it as progress while ignoring the grotesque injustices underpinning such a reality. These narratives are not just disingenuous; they are dangerous. They trivialise the fight for human rights and reduce Afghan women’s struggles to hollow platitudes.

When confronted, many content creators respond with the same predictable refrain: ‘It’s their culture.’ This excuse has become a shield for complicity, perpetuating the bigotry of low expectations. By invoking cultural relativism, creators sidestep accountability while condoning the subjugation of women. But human rights are not negotiable, nor are they cultural artefacts. They belong to everyone, and to suggest otherwise is to deny Afghan women their humanity. Such arguments diminish the voices of Afghan women who are risking their lives to resist a regime that seeks to erase them.

Why should misogynistic practices be excused as cultural differences? Why is it acceptable for women in other parts of the world to fight for freedom, while Afghan women are expected to accept their subjugation under the guise of cultural respect? This hypocrisy is indefensible. When influencers whitewash the Taliban’s atrocities, they betray not only Afghan women but also the universal principles of justice and dignity.

The absurdity of praising minor freedoms—like the ability of a number of women to show their faces—is a stark insult to the broader fight for equality. Afghan women do not need outsiders to collaborate with their oppressors while ignoring the systemic violence they endure. What they need is solidarity, not staged photos and patronising narratives. They need voices that amplify their resistance, not content that sanitises their suffering for Western audiences. What they need is the dismantling of the Taliban regime to ensure that their universal human rights are upheld—rights owed to all women without exception.

Excuses like ‘I’m working with local Afghan women’ or ‘I’m highlighting the plight of the Hazara community’ reveal a stunning ignorance of the broader context. These claims may sound noble, but they ignore the systemic barriers Afghan women face. This is not advocacy; it is betrayal. Influencers fail to see how their content perpetuates harmful narratives, whitewashing a regime that is actively dismantling women’s rights. By portraying Afghanistan as a safe and welcoming destination, they provide cover for the Taliban’s campaign of terror and oppression.

Although some Afghan families may experience short-term economic benefits from tourism, the broader costs far outweigh these gains. The Taliban exploit these glossy portrayals to craft an image of normalcy and stability, masking their atrocities behind the smiling faces of tourists. Visitors become complicit, lending legitimacy to a regime that seeks to erase women from public life entirely.

However, what is particularly interesting is that some of these tourism initiatives are being led by a small group of Afghan women themselves. In a striking twist, these women are running companies that cater specifically to foreign women, attempting to create a space for cross-cultural exchange and empowerment under incredibly restrictive circumstances. Yet, this dynamic raises complex questions. Does their involvement in the industry genuinely provide agency and visibility, or does it merely exploit their resilience while ignoring the systemic oppression Afghan women endure daily? This paradox underscores the larger truth: no matter how resourceful or resilient Afghan women are, their efforts cannot flourish fully under a regime that denies their fundamental rights.

We must reject the notion that advocating for universal human rights is an imposition of Western values. It is not. It is a moral imperative. Human rights transcend borders, cultures, and ideologies. The fight for Afghan women’s freedom is not separate from the broader struggle for equality; it is integral to it.

To those who defend oppression as ‘their culture’, ask yourself this: Would you accept this explanation if it were your sister, your mother, or your daughter? If the answer is no, then it is not cultural respect to remain silent—it is complicity. Oppression is not culture. It is injustice. And we owe it to Afghan women, and to women everywhere, to stand against it with unwavering resolve. Because no woman should have her rights reduced to a matter of cultural interpretation. Their fight is our fight, and we must not look away.

Related reading

A Small Light: Acts of Resistance in Afghanistan, by Zwan Mahmod

Feminism and religion are incompatible, by Maryam Namazie

The Taliban’s unceasing war on Afghan women, by Khadija Khan

Secularism is a feminist issue, by Megan Manson