Fatana urges govt to open girls schools, allow women to work

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan Woman Association president Fatana Ishaq Gilani has urged the caretaker government to prioritize combating illiteracy and give women and girls their rights Islam has given to them.

Fatana told Pajhwok Afghan News during an interview that the Afghanistan Women Association worked with thousands of Afghan women and girls in education and health sectors in the past one year and provided assistance to two thousand needy widows and orphans.

During this period, she said, they even helped dozens of security personnel of the Islamic Emirate.

Gailani said: “In the initial days after the political change in the country when Taliban captured Kabul, I served meals to 70 or 80 Taliban fighters three times a day who were residing in our street, I bought winter clothing and blankets for them.”

“I did not leave the country after the Taliban takeover and stayed in the country, I was busy in welfare woks in those hard times,” she said.

“When the Taliban seized power on August 15, their spokesman said they will not prevent women from education and work, it made me optimistic,” Fatana said.

She felt good after the political change in the country and planned to extend her welfare activities for more women and girls in the country.

But the Islamic Emirate was yet to fulfill its promise as girls above the sixth grade still could not attend their lessons while majority of women not allowed to work, she lamented.

Fatana doesn’t know the reason of schools closure and said: “I do not know the reason why the doors of schools are shut for girls, I know nothing”.

She is concerned about the closure of girls’ schools above grade six and women’s work and asks the government to revise this decision.

“The women are angry about this decision because it is there right to work and study, but once again I ask the government to rethink about its policies in this regard,” she added.

As the academic year began in March, the government postponed the opening of girls high and secondary schools and said the government was working on a plan after which the schools will be opened.

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials have repeated said they are committed to giving women all Islamic rights. They say some women are attending their jobs while others get their salaries at home.

Fatana suggested the government should consult personalities of good reputation and women activists for solution to these problems.

Fatana continued: “I and all other Muslim women want their rights that Allah has given them. I want to attend proudly my job, I want my rights guaranteed in a secure and safe environment.”

Fatana Gilani believes that Afghanistan’s problems are caused by foreign interference and suggests the caretaker government to work hard to stop foreign interference.

She wants the government to prioritize the struggle for education because ignorance is one of the main causes of problems in the country.

aw/ma

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