by Polina Smith
Don’t Turn a Blind Eye: How to Support the Women of Afghanistan
Most of us have seen the heartbreaking images that have been flooding social media following the U.S. troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. The images show Afghan people clinging to airplanes, desperate to escape their country and the Taliban rule currently descending. However, what’s missing from many of these images are those who are most vulnerable to the Taliban’s rule: women and girls. Now more than ever, it’s important to understand the ways to support women in Afghanistan in the reemergence of the Taliban’s oppression.
Afghan Girl, courtesy www.pixabay.com
Afghan women will likely face strict rules concerning their appearance (head-to-toe coverings), laws against them travelling alone, forbidding girls and women to access education or work, as well as bans on TV, music, and non-Islamic holidays. In the past, the Taliban have punished those who have gone against their rules with horrific incidents like beatings, rape, acid attacks, amputations, forced marriages, and public executions.
This is why it is so urgent for us to support Afghan women and girls. It can feel frustrating and hopeless to try to figure out how to help people trapped in a situation so complex and far away. The emotions that come up when we learn about the devastation and destruction caused by the Taliban can cause us to freeze, to decide we are too far removed, or too far geographically, to help with the situation. But that’s not true at all. Below are several ways we can be of aid to the girls and women in Afghanistan.
Women in Afghanistan, courtesy www.pixabay.com
· Educate yourself. This is the first step in helping with any cause, but in this case, it is particularly important since people tend to conflate Islam with extremism when Afghan women come into the conversation. Writer Shireen Ahmed reminds us that it is important not to reduce the entire conflict down to burqas, when the real issues are around trauma, militarization, displacement, hunger, poverty, and more. Reliable sources for educating yourself on the lives of Afghan women include activists like Sakina Amiri, Rana Abdelhamid, Sana Safi, Humaira Ghilzai, and Bushra Ebadi.
Support organizations and activists who are doing the work to directly aid Afghans. Women for Women International offers a program for Afghan women that helps them to “know and defend their rights, lead mentally and physically healthy lives, influence decisions at home and in their communities, generate income, and save money for the future, contributing to economic self-sufficiency in their lives and for their families,” according to their website. The organization also encourages donations on their site.
Contact politicians to ask them to allow more refugees into the United States. The Biden administration has stated it will protect Afghan women. Sign petitions or call politicians directly to express your desire for the administration to honor its commitment to Afghan women. Vital Voices offers an open letter to Biden for advocates to sign, while Afghans for a Better Tomorrow provides call scripts for those interested in calling politicians.
Donate. Of course, donations are essential to supporting women in need. National human rights organizations like Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch stay up to date on the issues specific Afghan communities are facing, so these organizations are good places to start. The International Rescue Committee in San Jose has created an Amazon wish list, as well as a donation request list with the hopes of providing basic home goods and children’s items to refugees in need.
Afghan girl, courtesy www.pixabay.com
Although Taliban leaders recently claimed that their restrictions around women’s rights won’t be as severe as they were in the past, Amin Saikal, the author of Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival said that, "As far as their ideological commitment is concerned, they have not really changed." On August 17th, 2021, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed that the Taliban would honor women’s rights within Islamic law. But the violence against women has not decreased. The Taliban shot dead a woman in Takhar province for not wearing a burqa just hours after Mujahid released his statement.
Zainab Salbi, Founder of Women for Women International, reminds us of how dire it is to protect and support Afghan women: “There are moments in history where we will be judged not by whether or not we won or lost but by whether or not we did the right thing. This is one of these moments. We need to protect these women’s lives for the importance of their voice, for their children, for the future of their country, and our commitment to our values.”