On 6 March, President Karzai opened a new academic year highlighting that five million children at primary school-age do not go to school, some due to fighting and closure of schools by insurgents, some due to lack of infrastructure, books or teachers, others because their parents do not allow them to attend school for fear of being killed or kidnapped; or because they are obliged to work to make a living for their poverty-stricken families. Too many reasons and too many children out of school
During the last week of February, the UN Secretary General’s special representative for children affected by armed conflict, visited Afghanistan. A press release published on the occasion of her visit indicates that nearly 350 children were killed in Afghan violence last year. Incidents included aerial strikes (131 victims), search-and-raid by Special Forces (22) and attacks by anti-Government elements (128). She expressed concern that children were being recruited to fight against the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.
After a short stay in Bamyan- 2-4 March- located in Central region I am back in Kabul, enjoying spring temperatures contrasting with the icy and snowy journey. Bamyan province is hardly 100 km from Kabul, but it feels like a trip into another country. Not only the temperatures are about 10 degrees lower than in the capital, due to the high altitude, but also the peace and calm over there give a pleasant change. (To visit a literacy center outside Bamyan city, we went by road without military escort –quite exceptional in Afghanistan).
Bamyan has no electricity-net, and power in the UN-Guesthouse is provided by generators – in the evening and morning. With a temperature of minus 5 degrees Celsius, the traditional Bukharis, small petrol-powered heaters are vital. The journey was short but the range of impressions and encountered people large. With regards to the upcoming International Women Day, aim was to see projects related to girls and women empowerment – a thorny issue in rural Afghanistan. A female affairs counselor of the local Youth Information and Contact Center (YICC), a UNICEF-funded initiative to provide easy access to a wide range of information and services for youth – especially girls – to engage them in community development, explains that on average six cases of early marriage are brought to her attention every month, usually involving girls aged between 13 and 14 years. Girls either approach her for support or are identified by their teachers. Since direct interaction with the parents would result in straight refusal, she talks to the relatives of the child – trying to influence the parents via their voice. If this does not help she refers the case to the local human rights commission. Six cases per month only for Bamyian center – not including the rural areas of the province…
There are eight Women Associations in Bamyan province. They are funded with the contributions of their members and various partners, such as UNICEF, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Afghan Department of Women Affairs. One of theseassociations ,Nawaye Solh (Peace Voice), officially registered in 2009 with 70 members all across Bamyan province, is building the capacities of women through informal education, while helping their families economically. All the members are volunteers; some of them participate clandestinely in the group meetings, to avoid the anger of their husbands.
Since 2001, the Afghan Ministry of Women Affairs and UNICEF organized various workshops across Afghanistan to promote women rights. By participating in one of these workshops, Nasrollah Balaghi, a local religious leader became an active advocate of women’s empowerment, by raising awareness during his daily speeches in the local mosque and through individual interaction with parents.
Lack of education is the main issue. Due to poverty, many parents are not willing to send their children to school; a decision that affects boys and girls alike – perpetrating the cycle of poverty and ignorance over generations. 53 percent of boys and 50 percent of girls are enrolled in primary education in Bamyan. Mullah Nasrollah is open-minded, compared to many of his peers. Yet, he doesn’t acknowledge the question of early marriage as an urgent issue to resolve. According to him 95 percent of problems related to this issue are solved in Bamyan center — His optimism is better understood after a discussion with the Female Affairs counselor of the Department of Women Affairs: “People tell you that early marriage is not a problem in Bamyian – but their definition of early marriage stops when the bride has reached 14 years of age.” While for many men the fact that a woman has ‘rights’ continues to be new-fangled and by consequence suspect, progress is happening. 25 years ago, girls were given as a compensation for family crimes to the offended family, today this is considered as a crime in itself – not only by legal standards but also in the common perception.
More and more often women stand up for their rights, mothers defending their daughters from forced marriage and girls fighting for their right to education. Youth Information and Contact Centers have played a crucial role in Bamyan. With the support of UNICEF, the YICC has created female volleyball, hockey and football teams – the latter has 16 members and is affiliated with the National Football Association.
And sport is not a stand-alone initiative but combined with continued awareness raising. In the past, every member of the Girls Sport Forum has experienced disrespect and violence at home. The manifestation of violence may continue but the girls’ perception and stance to it has changed significantly since January 2010, when UNICEF has organized a workshop to train the young football players as youth advocates against domestic violence. Ever since, the girls, aged between 12 and 20 years, have been actively promoting women’s rights within their families and neighborhood.
“The exchange with my friends in the YICC has made me understand that we are all facing a similar situation and this cannot continue;” explains one of them; a slim girl who plans to become a police officer, to help the women of Bamyian whenever they need support. The meetings are more than encouraging – with so much bravery among women at all levels, changes in the situation of Afghan women will happen but it’s a very long way to go.
This year’s International Women’s Day may not yet be a reason to celebrate – but perhaps already 2011 will present a different picture ? Tashakor
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