A silent vigil will be held in Glastonbury next week to show support for women and girls in Afghanistan, who continue to suffer under oppressive Taliban rule.

Organised by the Women's Rights Network Somerset and Dorset, the vigil will take place at Market Cross on Saturday, 1 March. Attendees will gather at 1pm, with a minute's silence at 1.30pm. All are welcome to attend.

Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, women and girls have faced increasing restrictions on their rights and freedoms. They have been banned from education, public life, and cultural and social spaces, with each new edict further shrinking their opportunities for independence and self-expression.

By the time of the Glastonbury vigil, Afghan girls will have been prohibited from education for over 1,250 days. The Women's Rights Network describes the situation as a fundamental attack on human liberty, highlighting that Afghan women are now being gagged, silenced, and even prohibited from looking out of windows.

This will be the third in a series of vigils taking place across the country, leading up to a mass participation event in London in spring or summer 2025. A previous vigil held in Taunton on 1 February drew significant interest and was attended by a young woman who had fled Afghanistan with her father, a former British Army worker. She spoke about the heartbreak and fear she feels for the friends she left behind.

A spokesperson for the Women's Rights Network said: "The palpable outrage at this series of inhumane Taliban edicts should not pass us by without us taking action. Please join us on Saturday, 1 March, to show these women and girls that they are not forgotten."

For more information, visit www.womensrights.network/afghanistan.