In the midst of Taliban insurgencies and government instability, one section of Taliban’s population remains mostly silent, but not by choice. I’m talking about the women of Afghanistan who feel that speaking out is risking their lives.
In a 2009 article from Aljazeera, I learned of a group of women who were collaborating on a blog, called the Afghan Women’s Writing Project where Afghan women can write and publish their stories on the web for anyone to read. The project was started by American novelist Masha Hamilton and its purpose is to empower the women of Afghanistan and encourage them to speak their minds unfiltered by family members or the media. Often times these women have to publish their stories anonymously for fear that revealing their identities could endanger their lives. Even then it is a challenge to get their stories out because many women do not have access to computers, but they believe that this project is worth the risk.
Although this article was written in 2009, this concept of women feeling marginalized and oppressed in society still holds true today. An article from February 15, also from Aljazeera, discusses the oppression of women in Afghanistan today and how many women are fleeing to safe houses. Many of these women are subject to abuse and domestic violence and because women’s rights are not protected in Afghanistan. They often feel controlled by their husband’s or families and do not have the power to even defend themselves by speaking their mind.
These women want to move forward with their lives and they want to implement change within their country by sharing their stories and their ideas. This writing project is a step in that direction and allows the women to directly share their powerful stories with people all over the world. As one of the women said, "I believe words are stronger than guns. It is words that start revolutions and changes."[1] The writing process also allows the women a chance to further their own educations by practicing their English (every post is written in English) and cultivating creative thinking.
Having perused some of the women’s blog posts I have found them to be incredibly moving and honest, and for non-native speakers their English is very good. All of us in 20/20 contribute weekly blog posts because the current situation in Afghanistan is of great interest to us, but it is something that we can do easily whenever we want or need to. However, for these Afghan women, blogging is a form of rebellion, one that gives them a voice, and the opportunity to do so is not ever-present. Almost all of these women write their stories in secret whenever they have access to a computer, and in a language that they are still learning. However the power of their words is astonishing and they write with such focus and passion that it is clear they are ready and willing for changes to occur. I think that the determination of these women to post their stories and their ideas is testament to the fact that they are willing and capable of implementing reforms in the government and protecting their rights. I think it’s a great project and I encourage you all to check it out (the link is in the second paragraph).
[1] Wander, Andrew. Afghan Women Writing for Change. <http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2009/12/200912675616888150.html>
Link to 2011 article on Women’s Shelters: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/02/20112151789998563.html
Link to 2009 article on Women’s Blog: http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2009/12/200912675616888150.html
Interesting, Fatima. What would be the fate of these women if the Taliban were to return to power? What if they were to move into a power-sharing situation with the Karzai administration? Do the American forces bear a degree of responsibility for the well-being of these women? or is that beyond the scope of our mission?
ReplyDelete