Security is subjective, which means that it means different things to different people. For us students, security may denote being with our parents or residing within a relatively safe campus. However, for someone who stays in a town like Dadri, security can have a completely different connotation as they may think of security in terms of food and finances
This subjective interpretation of security also translates into the relativity aspect of security. In layman’s terms, relativity is the comparison of losses and gains. (Liberman,1996). Security is relative in the sense that it is contextual and depends on the perspective of the parties involved. The concept of relative security refers to the idea that security is not an absolute state but rather a balance of gains and losses in relation to the interests and capabilities of the parties involved in each situation (Liberman,1996). Now that we have a slight idea about security and relativity, let's try to place it in the international domain.
As we all know, Afghanistan in the year 2021, came under the control of the Taliban after the US army left the country ( Maizland, 2023). This meant that the women’s lives in the country were under a lot of threat. Women in Afghanistan experienced serious and pervasive violations of their human rights under the Taliban's rule, including limitations on their freedom of movement, freedom of education, and employment. Women's rights were practically abolished by the Taliban's stringent regulations, which included preventing them from attending secondary and university education, limiting their employment options, and limiting their freedom of travel. Women who disobeyed Taliban regulations faced threats of violence, harassment, and even death as a result of these restrictions, which created an atmosphere of dread and insecurity for them (HRW,2022).
If we try to answer questions f we try to answer questions such as whose security, security from what or whom, and security by what means while looking at the Afghanistan crisis, we can understand that by looking at the Afghanistan crisis we can understand that, though the Taliban thought that they would be protecting the women, in reality there reaction to the whole situation caused insecurity amongst women (HRW, 2022). The Taliban's measures to "protect" women by restricting their rights are motivated by their political dominance, traditional gender norms, religious convictions, and a reaction to external pressure. These acts have caused grave human rights violations and a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan( Maizland, 2023). As security is relative, the fact that these rules and norms which have been put in place by the Taliban do not sprout a feeling of security but a feeling of insecurity as the women do not feel empowered without an education, without the right to work, and without financial independence, let alone being unable to move around in their your country freely.
Relating the aforementioned case to the feminist approach to security as the feminist theory typically does not focus on IR’s questions about the causes of wars and the treaties that end them, IR feminists have been concerned with what is going on in between(Parashar, 2016). the assumption of essential differences between men and women is part of patriarchal ideology, feeding into stereotypical notions of how such men and women should behave, which in turn constitute recognisable discourses of gender: sets of narratives about masculinity and femininity and how these are, in general, respectively privileged and marginalised (Shepherd, 2009)
If we take into account how the politics or the power play in Afghanistan is so gendered, we can see how The gendered analysis of security is a subfield of international relations and comparative politics that examines how gender shapes security issues and policies. It challenges the assumption that security is gender-neutral and highlights how societal beliefs around gender and its relationship with security can create systemic obstacles for women in the security sector (Medicamodiale, 2023).
The idea that security is gender-neutral is called into question by gender analysis of security, which also emphasizes how structural barriers for women working in the security industry can be caused by social perceptions of gender and its link to security. Women's rights and liberties have significantly declined under the Taliban's control in Afghanistan, a development that can be explained by a gendered understanding of security. Women's health, education, and ability to make a living have been hampered by the Taliban's restrictions on female rights, which include employment, education, and freedom of movement. (Medicamodiale, 2023) This has resulted in a devastating impact on Afghan women and girls, with many facing a loss of livelihoods, increased risk of child marriage, and gender-based violence. Therefore, a gendered analysis of security is crucial in understanding how the Taliban's rule has led to a significant regression in women's rights and freedoms in Afghanistan.
The very fact that politics is gendered, does affect the issues and policies around security and securitization. The feminist scholars try to push for this site in order to better understand and help women. Relating it to Afghanistan, we can see how the men in power- Taliban clearly instigate the deep-rooted patriarchy in their beliefs. The policies in and around women and their security can be seen in a critical way. Is the gendered analysis the best way to understand this? In my opinion, yes as there is no other sphere which can take into account the role of women and even children in their respective societies. The feminist approach to security also helps us understand how the gendering of the state can help us understand security concerns in a better way.
BIBLIOGRAPHY-
Feminism and postcolonialism: The twain shall meet. (2016). Postcolonial Studies, 19(4), 463–477. https://doi.org/10.1080/13688790.2016.1317583
HRW. (2022, January 18). Afghanistan: Taliban deprive women of livelihoods, identity. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/18/afghanistan-taliban-deprive-women-livelihoods-identity
Jocelyn Trainer, F. C. (2022, January 3). Applying a gender lens to security studies. THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS REVIEW. https://www.iar-gwu.org/print-archive/ikjtfxf3nmqgd0np1ht10mvkfron6n-bykaf-ey3hc
Liberman, P. (1996). Trading with the enemy: Security and relative economic gains. International Security, 21(1), 147. https://doi.org/10.2307/2539111
Maizland, L. (2023, January 19). What is the Taliban?. Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/taliban-afghanistan
Medicamodiale. (2023, June 9). Afghanistan. 9 facts on women’s rights in Afghanistan. https://medicamondiale.org/en/where-we-empower-women/afghanistan
Melancon, A.-A. (2023, February 7). The impact of gender on the study and practice of International Security. E. https://www.e-ir.info/2023/02/07/the-impact-of-gender-on-the-study-and-practice-of-international-security/
Shepherd, L. J. (2009). Gender, violence and global politics: Contemporary debates in feminist security studies. Political Studies Review, 7(2), 208–219. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1478-9299.2009.00180.x
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