KabulThe city became the capital of Afghanistan during the reign of Timur Shah Durrani, the second Afghan emir, in 1776. is a bustling city, with all the noise you would expect from such a place: the roar of traffic, honking of horns, haggling in busy marketplaces. But from now on one sound will not take its place in the cacophony: the sound of women talking.

Last week the TalibanA violent fundamentalist Islamic movement that enforces sharia law and denies education to women., which rules Afghanistan, put out a new set of "viceImmoral or unjustifiable behaviour. and virtueA good moral quality. " laws. Among other things, they state that women may not speak in public.¹

What has stunned many is the pace of change. Just two years ago, women in Afghanistan could learn and work. Now those same women face what some experts call "gender apartheidA system of legally-enshrined racial discrimination and oppression which existed in South Africa from 1948 until the 1990s. It denied non-white South Africans basic human rights.".²

For some it recalls Margaret AtwoodCanadian novelist whose best-known book is The Handmaid's Tale.'s famous work The Handmaid's Tale, in which Christian extremists take over the USA and enslave women.

They fear the USA may shortly follow the Taliban. In recent years, US evangelicalsA worldwide interdenominational Protestant movement that stresses the power of faith. In many places, it is associated with social conservatism. have become ever more radicalised against women's reproductive rights. Activists say it amounts to an attack on women's participation in public life.

Many experts say there are important similarities between the US and Afghanistan. Both are experiencing deep social divides.

The Taliban actually subscribe to the HanafiA school of thought in Sunni Islam, based on the writings of the Imam Abu Hanifa. It is one of the more open schools of thought. school of Islamic thought, which is one of the most liberal. The group's traditionalist values stem more from its origins in the Pashtun ethnic group, which is traditionally deeply patriarchalA society in which adult men have a monopoly on power. In these societies, men tend to hold all political positions, and women and children are also expected to obey the men in their families..⁴ Many Afghans feel the Pashtuns are now imposing their culture on the whole country.

Taliban fighters also often come from ruralRelating to the countryside rather than the town. areas, where traditional values hold strong. They have long felt that more liberal urbanites are attacking their way of life. They say they are simply responding in kind.

The USA is also deeply divided between liberal urban areas and conservative rural ones.⁵ Each one feels the other is trying to impose their own values on the whole country.

Could Trump's America go the same way?

Yes: Many fear Trump has plans to seize control of the entire executive branchThe part of government which is responsible for the overall governance of a state. It executes, or enforces, the law. . That would give him sweeping powers to impose restrictions on women before anyone has a chance to mobilise against them.

No: The US is a much more liberal place than Afghanistan, and most voters oppose sweeping restrictions on women's lives. That is why even Trump himself has disavowed the evangelical programme.

Or... The US is unlikely to see the sudden reversal in women's rights we have seen in Afghanistan. However, Republican PartyAlso known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum. governments will continue to chip away at them.

FOR YOUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE CLUE GO TO STEP SIX IN THE SIX STEPS TO DISCOVERY BELOW.

Kabul - The city became the capital of Afghanistan during the reign of Timur Shah Durrani, the second Afghan emir, in 1776.

Taliban - A violent fundamentalist Islamic movement that enforces sharia law and denies education to women.

Vice - Immoral or unjustifiable behaviour.

Virtue - A good moral quality.

Apartheid - A system of legally-enshrined racial discrimination and oppression which existed in South Africa from 1948 until the 1990s. It denied non-white South Africans basic human rights.

Margaret Atwood - Canadian novelist whose best-known book is The Handmaid's Tale.

Evangelicals - A worldwide interdenominational Protestant movement that stresses the power of faith. In many places, it is associated with social conservatism.

Hanafi - A school of thought in Sunni Islam, based on the writings of the Imam Abu Hanifa. It is one of the more open schools of thought.

Patriarchal - A society in which adult men have a monopoly on power. In these societies, men tend to hold all political positions, and women and children are also expected to obey the men in their families.

Rural - Relating to the countryside rather than the town.

Executive branch - The part of government which is responsible for the overall governance of a state. It executes, or enforces, the law.

Republican Party - Also known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum.