Today I am presenting a report from a country in which women don’t have access to their essential rights of education, work, or free movement for more than 1000 days.
If women ask about those rights, the answer will be beating, arresting, or killing. Today I am raising my voice for women and girls from a country in which the Minister of Higher Education said, those who write/talk against, and/or resist the Taliban deserve to be murdered. This includes both online and offline criticism of their regime.
Taliban actively search every single home, even searching the phone, laptops, and all private things to see and find who is working against them. If yes, then they will arrest, beat or kill them. No one has the right to complain.
But Today’s Afghan women strongly believe that “an educated mother builds a strong nation”. And they are stronger than the Taliban restrictions and women are not afraid. Afghan women get stronger day by day, as they raise their voices against the Taliban to demand their own essential rights of education, work, and free movement.
Today I am here to tell you that there are no HUMAN rights and there are no WOMEN’S rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s control.
My role (Yal Bano) as an activist
I am one of the women activists, when I was in Afghanistan, I graduated from engineering faculty, and I had job after graduation but after Taliban took over life changed for me, and I thought I have lost my all hope and achievements during years. Yes, during the first months I cried a lot, and I was under a very hard depression and all looked to me end with no hope.
But when I thought what is my responsibility in this situation? And said to me: -
“As more percentage of Afghan people especially women are not educated and you as part of society if you can stand up with them, you should not cry anymore just forget how sad you are, just start to help and be with other women in this hard time”.
When I had the idea, I just shared with trustable friends of me from men and women group and they said we will be very happy and with proud we want to join.
At first 4 women friends and two men friends which the one man helps and his support is wonderful with women from start till yet and we really appreciate it .and he is fine if I use his name, his name is Mirwais Nabizada, and his help and support is great.
Yes, we all know situation is dangerous but to be silent is not the solution. And we have and had the information The Taliban actively search for all who work or talk against them. And this was all the time what I said to me whenever I felt more threat and from scary situation. Yes, I am in danger, but I can’t stop. The Taliban are lying, and they just want to fight for power. I am in hiding, fighting for my life and the lives of other women.in Afghanistan.
We worked in Afghanistan to help Afghan women with their study as secret school, we raised our voices with different path for Afghan women, I heard stories of women and we cried to show we are with women, and we shared the message of hope and to strong with each other. And we help families in need with food and urgent need as they needed.
When I was in Afghanistan Taliban had searching for me, and I received warning but even after warning I wasn’t silent, and it’s easy for the Taliban to kill those groups who work or talk against them. Because of me, my siblings and parents are also under direct threat. We were not safe. I worked to hide my identity and my parents’ identity. I was hiding from the Taliban, but I had known one day they will kill me or my family members.
When situation got very hard and restricted my option was just to fled from Afghanistan and I could not forget how hard it was when I fled at 2 am from Afghanistan.
But When I get to a new country,
Life in a new country is not easy as everything is new, and I was faced with big culture shock.
During first months I was just crying, and I don’t had contact with my family, and nothing was normal, and things were harder for me, firstly the station of Afghan women under the Taliban control. secondly, my fled from Afghanistan and become away from family and third the new life with new culture and how to manage to start life back from zero up like normal life.
But after while I just told to myself cry is not the solution start and act as strong women just forget what is going on, on you, you are just one but 1000 women are looking to you have a big smile and keep going to help and work for Afghan women.
In new life in new country, I just started self-study and update my resume and I start to attend English class, I start to learn driving and start to learn new life in new country.
After months I became successful in taking an exam and get job in engineering field and this is very hard for a refugee if they get job in their own field of study, but hard work pays off.
During weekdays, at 6 am I go out of home to take bus to go work till 6 pm then I took bus to English class and finally I come home 9:30 pm after some eat, I feel very tired, but I act very strong.
As different of time between Afghanistan and the country I am, 2 night of the week I am Wack all night because I have classes to help Afghan students in Afghanistan.
I felt very tired, but I never tell or show to students to know I am tired and need sleep.
I just enjoy it when I hear from them and when they join in class, I just get energy and I am proud. If I don’t do this help with student, I just blame my self and say to myself, you fled and you put Afghan women lonely in Afghanistan.
I was in Afghanistan, so I completely understand, they really need someone to be with them.
So that is why I see them more important than my sleep or getting rest.
Fortunately, our group getting bigger with trustable women and men to help women.
Currently we have 150 students and more others on the waiting list in our learning program.
We don’t receive financial help from nowhere our work is completely voluntary.
Just if some brave women help directly to student with their studies, we really appreciate it.
our program name is beautiful Afghanistan, and, in this program, we are working is to help Afghan students with their studies,
And to help women families if they are in need food and urgent need. And we raise our voice to world hear what is going on, om Afghan women.
fell free if you have any question or you want to join to help student with their studies , or want to support family in need:-
Hi Yal… thank you for all you are doing for the women of Afghanistan. I hope you are getting enough rest, you sound exhausted.
How can British people help the women of Afghanistan? Do you know of British support groups we can join? Keep up the amazing work… the women of Afghanistan will not be forgotten. X
What different ways are there to help?
you can share Afghan women voices and hope for action.
you can support students and families.
and stand up with Afghan women and girls .
Hi Yal… thank you for all you are doing for the women of Afghanistan. I hope you are getting enough rest, you sound exhausted.
How can British people help the women of Afghanistan? Do you know of British support groups we can join? Keep up the amazing work… the women of Afghanistan will not be forgotten. X
Hi Rebecca,
Hope you are doing well.
Thank you for your nice and power words . I appreciate it. Afghan women need to Stand up with them.
Please Stand up with us and thank you for your stand up and solidarity with Afghan women.
I know About WDI and WDI UK and they share Afghan Women voices 🙏🖤❤️💚. WomenLifeFreedom
Thank you ,
Yal
Hi Yal
Great to hear from you. I hope you are ok.
I stand with you and will be doing all I can to help the women and girls of Afghanistan.🇦🇫. You are not forgotten and we stand in solidarity with you.
Sending you prayers and love ❤️
Rebecca
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️