Kabul women rally for right to education, work

KABUL (Pajhwok): Women rallied in Kabul on Thursday for resolving people’s economic problems and allowing women’s participation in politics.

Dozens of women and girls from “Women’s Spontaneous Movement” protested in front of Shahr-i-Naw Park, chanting “save Afghanistan from a humanitarian catastrophe”.

The participants raised slogans such as “people want bread, bread for Afghan children, resolve the crisis; hunger is not a joke, we want jobs and freedom’.

Razia Barakzai, a participant of the rally, said: “With our movement, we want to tell the world that our nation is in a bad situation and the people of Afghanistan need help.”

She added the women would continue their movement until they were allowed to work and study.

Sadaf, another protestor, carried a banner that was inscribed with the slogan: ‘Come and join us, this pain cannot be tolerated by us alone.”

She complained: “The economic situation of people is deteriorating with each passing day. Prices of essential items are surging and the masses cannot afford to buy anything.”

Sadaf, a former worker of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, grumbled: “We haven’t received our salaries for the last three months. Our children are going hungry.”

She said: “Our request to the Islamic Emirate is to allow women to work, not to ban girls’ education and pay all workers their salaries.”

Enamullah Samangani, deputy spokesman for the caretaker government, tweeted that the prime minister, the ministries of defense and finance, Da Afghanistan Bank, the municipality and Kabul police officials had taken some decisions on controlling prices.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Information Zabihullah Mujahid said: “The reality is that discussions are ongoing on women’s education and employment.”

He insisted the Taliban government was trying its best to provide a safe environment for women workers.

Mujahid added women were currently working in some ministries, such as health, education, higher education, information, at the Kabul Airport, e-ID card and passport departments.

“The important thing is that no woman has been fired from any office. They are marked present and they receive salaries at home. It means we are working on this issue and we will succeed, God willing,” he remarked.

He went on to explain: “The fate of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs is under discussion. A council comprised of senior ulema and scholars will be created to discuss how much important the ministry is and what alternatives to it are available.

“The thing is that women should be served and organisations working for them should be symbolic. They should have physical safety and mental satisfaction. They should have the rights the Sharia has given them.”

About girls’ education, Mujahid promised all schools and universities would be reopened next year.

Mujahid also assured people of improving their economic situation in the near future, saying the government was taking all possible measures.

mds/mud