This Is How Afghani Women Are Fighting Back Against The Taliban

Dozens of Afghan women risked their lives on Friday in a rare protest against the Taliban’s tightening grip on Afghanistan.

The small group of women, called Women's Political Participation Network, marched near Kabul’s presidential palace demanding access to education, the right to return to work and a role in governing the country. As they walked down the streets of Kabul, videos shared on social media showed them chanting “Don’t be afraid” and “We are together.”

Many were also holding banners, one read “No government is stable without the support of women” while another read “Freedom is our motto. It makes us proud.”

A member of the Taliban ascended into the crowd during the demonstration, but witnesses told AP News that he was angry at those who had stopped to watch rather than the protesters themselves.

CNN said there was also a brief confrontation between the militant group and the demonstrators. Footage showed a Taliban guard yelling for the women to go away right before chanting resumed.

Friday's demonstration in Kabul comes only a day after a group of women marched in the city of Herat, also demanding their right for education, work and security.

“We are concerned about the issues of human rights in Afghanistan, notably on the rights of women,” United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday. “It is imperative that women have the right to work, to work in a safe environment, and those are some of the issues that have been brought to the attention of our interlocutors in Kabul and elsewhere.”

The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan last month and were expected to form a government as early as Friday.

As they try to gain international recognition, Taliban leaders vowed to rule the nation with greater tolerance, especially on women’s rights. However, basic rights like access to work and education were denied to women last time the Taliban was in control.

Some Afghan women remain skeptical of the Taliban's tolerance pledge and are choosing to stay home and wear all-covering burqas out of fear for their safety, CNN reported.