Status of women and girls in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly since Taliban took over the country in August 2021, new system Girls banned from middle school, high school and universities Also restricted women in most areas of employment. Women also must wear head-to-toe clothing in public and are not allowed in parks and gyms. Despite protests, women are kept out of public life and deprived of their fundamental rights and livelihood. As we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, Hasht-e Subh meets former deputy speaker of the Afghan parliament and women’s rights activist Fauzia for her perspective on the status of women in Afghanistan and what is being done to change it Reached Koofi. ,
Fawzia Koofi was one of the few female members of the government team negotiating with the Taliban in 2020. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts towards peace. She is also a vocal advocate of women’s rights. Currently in exile, she is the leader of the political party Movement for Change for Afghanistan.
With the Taliban in power, the rights of Afghan women have been severely limited, denying them access to basic amenities and human rights. In this context can we also discuss the concept of equality?
Absolutely not. The idea of equality in Afghanistan is unfortunately a distant dream. Historically, efforts to establish social and gender justice in Afghanistan have faced difficulties in actual implementation, and these issues have never been factored into the political system. In the last two decades, people have been able to express their grievances and views through social and media channels. However, since the Taliban took power, any talk about justice or equality has been banned, and the power they hold is entirely their own. Not only women, but men are also denied the right of political participation and activities.
In countries where the status of women is better, a lot of effort and changes have been made in laws and culture to advance gender equality. What is your perspective on the current situation of women in Afghanistan?
The fight for women’s rights and equality around the world has been a long and arduous journey. Laws, cultural norms and social structures had to be changed to recognize women as equal citizens. March 8, World Women’s Solidarity Day, is dedicated to recognizing the struggles that women have gone through to achieve justice and equality. However, Afghanistan faces unique challenges due to its repressive culture, lack of opportunities, and frequent wars. This makes it difficult for women to build a movement that can actually change society. Despite the hardships imposed on them by the ruling group, women should see these challenges as opportunities to reshape the women’s movement in Afghanistan. For Afghan women to effectively change their narratives and cultures, they must understand the importance of unity. Many of the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women in the name of religion have no religious justification and are merely a means of exercising power. Women have to come together to challenge this power.
How should the men have reacted in such a situation? Should he have stood with the women?
It was expected that those who have been affected by the restrictions imposed on women, such as fathers of daughters who are unable to attend school, would launch an agitation. But so far there has not been a dynamic civil movement. There have been some recent responses, but they are more focused on the fact that the issue has reached breaking point. Those who fought for this cause in the past are now in jail, but no struggle can be won without sacrifice. The lack of access to education, work and university for Afghan girls harms not only individuals, but also social foundations, structures and rights of people in Afghanistan. If everyone realizes this, then both men and women should come together to fight for change. However, it seems that people have not come to this conclusion yet. If they do not act and do not fulfill their responsibility, they will not contribute to the creation of a new system. It is the people who must decide their own destiny and build a movement so that there is an alternative in the future in case the Taliban are unable to rule.
What is your perspective on the role of culture, religion and social mobility in shaping the current status of women in Afghanistan? Do you believe that some sections of the society maintain the status quo for religious and traditional reasons?
I don’t think a part of the society supports the Taliban, but I think a part of the society is neutral. They are neutral because they believe that the situation is only temporary and is caused by external factors. Because Afghanistan has been shaped by external elements in the past, the people have become mistrustful and lack faith in their own ability to bring about change. In the past, social change was either imposed by outside forces or suppressed by governments. In the past, the Taliban’s way of thinking was rooted in old customs and traditions. However, in recent years, there has been a change in mindset, especially in the remote area that I represented. People now believe that their daughters should go to school and have offered to repair school buildings and asked for help finding jobs for their daughters. However, the rise of the Taliban raises concerns about a possible reversal of the social and intellectual progress that has been made in Afghanistan, leading people to see the Taliban as the only reality and leaving no future for education and schools. It is critical that we maintain our efforts toward civic progress to avoid believing that the Taliban is the only option available.
Do you think the international community sees the Taliban as the only option?
The Taliban want to be seen that way, and the global community believed that there was no alternative to the Taliban, and this was the prevailing view until recently. However, this perception is changing, and thus it is important to pay attention to the changing political climate. The importance of girls going to school and university cannot be overstated. The ban on women has no religious basis and is merely a show of power by the Taliban. However, if the focus is only on opening educational institutions without changing the overall environment, it will only be a partial solution to the problem. All sources of pain must be eliminated. Despite the importance of girls’ education, it cannot be improved until the environment changes.
What is being done to change that environment?
our aim [at Movement of Change for Afghanistan] It has been to establish and support the Afghan women’s movement both domestically and internationally, recognizing that women face the greatest pressure from the Taliban government among the Afghan people. The path and goals of the struggle must be consistent, even though there may be different organizations, structures, movements and titles related to women’s rights that operate in different forms and have different names. Our main focus is to bring these groups together and form a united front, especially with political leaders from outside Afghanistan, civil society leaders, experts, media personnel and the younger generation. These organizations aim to bring the voices and issues of Afghan women to the world, highlight problems and propose solutions for Afghanistan, as well as increase support for women within the country.
Lastly, what is your message?
My message to Afghan women is that it is okay to have a different opinion on some issues. In a society where everyone thinks alike, it means that the members of that society are not really thinking. Differences in opinion allow us to expand our perspectives and make well-informed decisions, but it is important that we state our stance clearly beforehand. The Afghan women’s movement must not allow differences to cause division among women. Instead, we should strive for a unified and strategic goal. Currently, more than ever, Afghan women need to come together in terms of force, opinion, message and voice. Historically, Afghan women have relied on men, but I want to emphasize that we are capable of doing things on our own. Political leaders and the world must trust the women of Afghanistan, who face many challenges every day. Women in Afghanistan are capable of driving change and playing a leading role in making history.