Afghanistan: Interview about working for women's rights
"My work has always been very difficult. But since the Taliban took power, we have faced even more brazen hostility. Taliban supporters threaten me and my family. They say I am putting the women in the wrong direction and trying to change their behavior. They think I am corrupting their women."
Samira* works in a Terre des Hommes project in two poor suburbs of Kabul: Around 150 women are learning to read, write, and do arithmetic here. 90 of them are then trained in skills that will enable them to earn money for themselves and their families.
This is the second group of women to be trained by the Afghan non-governmental organization LEFAO (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Afghanistan Organisation) and supported by Terre des Hommes . Back in August 2021 – shortly after the Taliban seized Kabul – 50 women between the ages of 18 and 45 completed their training in sewing and embroidery. They received a certificate, a sewing machine, and other supplies to enable them to become self-employed. While many of the women's dreams for the future have been shattered by the Taliban's rise to power, the possibility of earning money through home-based work remains.
In January 2022, a new group of women began the courses. This year, instead of sewing and embroidery, the women in one impoverished neighborhood are learning baking and pastry making, while those in another neighborhood have opted for cosmetics. Empowering and providing psychosocial support to the women remains a crucial part of the project. Samira is responsible for this. She educates the women about their rights and shows them ways to manage the numerous challenges they face. We spoke with her about the difficult work of advocating for women's rights in a patriarchal culture.
What problems do the women in the project face?
Some were forced into marriage as children, others lost their entire families in the war. Some have disabled children and struggle to cope. Others have been sexually abused. Many of the women suffer violence – perpetrated by their husbands, fathers, or brothers.
Which women participate in the courses?
Priority is given to women and girls who are in dire need. The community leaders give us their addresses. Then we talk to them and encourage them to participate in the courses. The women are illiterate and between 18 and 45 years old. Some are single, others married or widows. They live in two impoverished neighborhoods of Kabul; some have moved to the capital from other provinces.
What is your role in the project?
I try my best to give the women hope for their future lives. I talk to them about their problems and teach them coping mechanisms they can use in difficult situations. I also educate them about women's rights, gender issues, children's rights, child marriage, and other topics.
How do the women's traumas affect them?
For example, one of the participants in the project was a 45-year-old woman who had lost her entire family in the war, except for one daughter. Her father and brother were hanged by the Taliban in front of her. In class, she would suddenly scream and run around frantically because she thought she might lose her daughter too. I'm trying to help her heal from the trauma and lead a normal life with her daughter.
How did these women react to the Taliban's takeover?
Some of them have terrible memories of the last Taliban regime, which was in power until 2001. They are terrified. Some are no longer allowed by their families to continue their education. They all suffer increasingly from poverty and hunger as prices rise daily. But above all, they fear for their children's future.
Is there anything you would like to share with our readers in Germany?
Please don't stop supporting the women in Afghanistan. If the projects continue, people can still have hope for their future. And please help those whose lives are in danger and evacuate them.
* The name has been changed for security reasons. For the same reason, the name of the partner organization implementing the project is also not being mentioned.