Call to invite female scholars, activists to grand assembly

KABUL (Pajhwok):  Female religious scholars and civil society activists should be allowed to participate in the upcoming grand assembly of clerics and tribal elders, participants of a meeting here said on Tuesday.

Commencing on Wednesday, the three-day event is expected to be participated by 3000 religious scholars and tribal elders from across the country at the Loya Jirga tent in Kabul.

In this regard, representatives of female religious scholars and civil society activists held a meeting in Kabul today, calling on the government to allow participation of female clerics and civil society activists in the assembly.

“No society can prosper without participation of women, women make half of the country’s population and they should be given part in all political and social affairs, “ said Satara Sadat, one of the meeting participants.

She urged the government to give female clerics the right to participate in the grand assembly of ulema and tribal elders.

Another participant, Bibi Amari Fidai, said Islamic had given women role in various fields throughout the history. She said the government should invite women to the assembly in order they could share their views and suggestions.

Religious scholar Ahmad Zia Noori at the meeting said women’s participation in the system was crucial and the government should give women role in all affairs and take advantage of their advice.

Calling as important the participation of women in the grand ulema gathering, the scholar said: “If people’s demands are ignored, problems in Afghanistan will not be solved.”

Ending the meeting, the participants issued a  resolution that called the convening of a large gathering of scholars a positive step, but asked the government to include women and civil society in the meeting.

According to the resolution, national issues will be discussed at the meeting and women, who make up half of the population, should attend the event.

It also sought cooperation from the international community in participation of women scholars and civil society activists in the assembly.

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