By Adela Azin
Translated by Mohammad Sakhi Rezaie
After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, they sucked women employees from all public offices, except education and health sectors, based on a male narrative of the world. Taliban have denied women all their political rights and most part of their civil rights by excluding them from most societal structures.
As a first step, the Taliban suspended girls’ schools above grade six; and then suspended women from university, recreational spaces, public bathrooms, and public spaces. And they have recently issued a verdict banning women from working in local and international NGOs.
However, Afghan women knowing well the Taliban mentality started protesting the Taliban in order to retake their rights and force them to recognize their basic rights. Taliban not only did not give women their rights but suppressed women’s protests, detained and tortured them.
In this report, we have interviewed three Afghan women rights protestors to share their eye witnesses from their street protests and struggles.
Naaji Hazara
Naaji Hazara is a protesting women who appeared on October 29, in “Afghanistan Women Justice Seeking Movement”, and following that she was sacked from her job by Taliban. She worked in one of the ministries as a kindergarten teacher. On the first day of the protest, she has received a call from one of her co-workers telling her that she has had lost her job.
Naaji, having strong motivations to retake women’s rights from the Taliban took part in Women’s rights protests again. One of the military rangers passed during the protests from her side and one of the Taliban fighters grabbed her hand as a result, her leg hit to the road side protection wall and was injured. According to Ms. Naaji, Taliban dispersed women by suing spray.
Later on, Ms. Naaji took part in a women protest; and then Taliban came to the scene and closed the door on all the people, then they called Ms. Zarifa Yaqubi and detained Yaqubi and four men accompanying her. The Taliban investigate the protectors for an hour and half and check their phones. When one of the protesting women said she did not have a phone, a Taliban women fighter slapped the women on the face. When Naaji Hazara says her friend does not have a phone, the Taliban women fighter slapped her on the face too. On that day, protesting women were surrounded for two hours by Taliban.
One day, when Ms. Naaji has been walking on the way home, she feels something hit on her back, when she looks back she saw a Taliban fighter holding three or four pipes, and tells her why she is not wearing burqa? Then the Taliban fighter tells her she shall not tell this incident to no one.
Ms. Naaji continues participating in women’s rights protests, though her family opposes such participations. She told Jade Abresham that “I cannot remain silent against the Taliban oppressions. I cannot return stop what I have decided consciously. The stories of the girls from Taliban prisons are horrific. However, we should continue our struggles.”
In another incident, on September night 29, when Ms. Naaji has been coming back from a wedding party, she has been taking photos of her friends. Meanwhile, a Taliban fighter gets down from a military ranger vehicle and grabs her back saying why she is taking photos at this moment of the night. When Ms. Naaji’s husband asks the Taliban fighter to release her, the Taliban fighter slaps on the face of him and says taking photos is against the Islamic values and it is a crime. Husband of Ms. Naaji’s sister, asks the Taliban fighter to pardon them; but the Taliban fighter said they shall be killed and their death should be a lesson for others. When he heard this, he fainted, and when she was conscious he was at home. Husband of Ms. Naaji’s sister, told Naaji that he could hardly save himself and the Taliban had told him “Control your prostitutes!” you work and gain money by them.”
Farima Kohistani
Farima Kohitani is one of the women’s rights protestors who worked in public school as a teacher. She participated in a women’s rights protest in December 2021, and she has been harassed several times by the Taliban.
Ms. Kohistani continues her women’s rights activities by participating at home protests. She shares her experience with us from what she has witnessed from street protests. “On Monday, October 14, 2021, one day after Taliban captured Kabul, We moved from Gulbahar Center Taliban opened fire on us at Sadarat square. When we went to a shop, Taliban beaten up us. They tore into pieces the slogan I hold and they insulted me too.” She said.
On girls school ban, Ms. Kohistani considers participating in women’s protests as the best way to voice the women concerns. She has been a civil society activists from 2017 t- 2019. “I was in the section of women and children and participated in the Enlightened Movement, Farkhonda protest, and Tabassom protest.” She said.
She has studied biology at Kabul University and has worked in education sector for several years. She is concerned about the exclusion of women from different spheres of the soical life.
Zholia Parsi
Zholia Parsi, is one of women’s right protestors against the Taliban women exclusion policies. She joined women’s rights protests from September 3, 2021, when she lost her job as executive manager of the High Council for National Reconciliation, and at the same time her two daughter, one grade 6 and other grade 10. “After my daughter were banned from school and my right to education, work and freedom, were taken from me, I joined to women’s rights protests.” She said.
When for the first time Zholia joined the protest she participated in the protest from Fawar e Ab “Water ountian” to the ministry of finance. Taliban beaten up the reporter who covered the protest. But Zholia and other protestors interfered and prevented to further beat him up. According to Zholia, when they moved towards Gulbahar Center, Taliban called them as the prostitutes and said they have sex workers during the Republican system and these women cannot continue their job under Taliban as prostitutes. As a result, these women protest against Taliban.
In another street protest on Haji Ayoub Square, Taliban have beaten up, one her friends who has been taking a video from the protestors and publishing it online. When Zholia had objected the Taliban and had told them to free her friend, Taliban had pointed the gun on her and told her enough is enough and she must not object anymore. But she has taken the barrel of the gun and points it to other point from her chest and says “Afghan women have changed, and they are not those women they ruled 20 years ago. As a result, these women would not accept anything Taliban order them to do. We experience suicides for years and we are not afraid of artilleries and guns anymore. We have certain rights and we want them to be ensured.” She said.
“On August 13, we staged a protest. Taliban gun shot in the air and beaten up the women’s rights protestors, then they stopped us and we were in hostage for several hours. Ultimately, they checked us and then freed us.” She said.
In another case, when they protested university suspension on women, Taliban have surrounded them and 3 Taliban women fighters had attempted to detain Ms. Parsi and other women’s rights protestors, but other women had resisted against the Taliban and as a result Taliban women fighters had not succeeded to detain them.
During the protest in Barchi against the Kaaj suicide attack, Ms. Parsi was beaten up by Taliban. “They hid with the barrel of gun on my back and hit with a lash on my hands.” She said. According to Ms. Parsi, Taliban is a terrorist, fascist, and atnti-women group. They misuse the name of Islam and use it as a tool.
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