Panah Press | Sunday, October 18, 2026

Ariana Saeed, a well-known Afghan singer and women’s rights activist, has spoken about her fear of marriage in a recent interview with Voice of America. She expressed her concern by saying that she feels her hands and feet would be tied after marriage—a statement that has once again raised questions about women’s freedom, independence, and right to choose.

For many women, marriage can mark the beginning of a new chapter in life. For others, however, the fear of restricted freedom and losing control over their own decisions makes this path a source of anxiety. When a woman speaks of having her hands and feet tied, the expression can reflect concerns about a life in which opportunities to pursue her dreams and maintain her independence may be limited.

This issue carries even greater significance for Afghan women and girls, particularly under Taliban rule. Women who face widespread restrictions on education, employment, and participation in public life also encounter serious challenges in exercising their freedom and making independent choices. Under these circumstances, the right to decide about marriage and one’s personal future becomes doubly important.

As a well-known artist, Ariana Saeed has expressed her views and concerns about marriage. However, many Afghan women and girls do not even have the opportunity to freely express their wishes or choose their own paths in life. For some, the issue is not merely the fear of losing freedom after marriage, but also being deprived of opportunities that should be every woman’s natural right.

Marriage should not mean the end of freedom, the silencing of dreams, or the abandonment of one’s individual identity. No woman should have to give up her wishes and independence in order to build a life with a partner. Every woman has the right to make free decisions about marriage, her future, and the way she lives—a right that, under current circumstances, deserves more attention and support than ever for women in Afghanistan.

Source: Voice of America

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