Afghan women protest to support girls' rights

[PrimAndProperViperish]

So brave. The women protested, despite the dangers:

'Though we're afraid we came out to advocate for the rights of girls, so that at least the Taliban will open schools for them.'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62532839

“they didn’t beat us much this time” - why are there no men out supporting these women?

Their courage is very humbling.

Wow. What women. What a dreadfully situation.

'Afghanistan is the only country in the world that officially limits education by gender'

IDK why none of these women do the obvious thing ...

This is what stunning and brave looks like. My heart goes out to these women. Their plight is unimaginable

So brave

Depressing and enraging at the same time. And yes JacquelinePot - this is what stunning and brave really looks like.

I remember reading an account at the time after the withdrawal. How many men quickly and gleefully slipped into their previous misogynistic behaviour. Not all men but far too many.

Brave women.

Depressing. As charitably as I can put that, I suppose at least part of that is denial. Collusion to avoid facing the true horrors of what life will be like for women.

Easier to dismiss women's voices, cast women as hysterical, whining, shrieking, harpies etc than it is to actually listen to those women and consider what they are saying. And realise how hard it would be to go up against a violent, repressive regime.

Yet these women do it. Unarmed and yes, incredibly brave.

I suspect that having men there would give a direct excuse for violence.

With only the women the police or soldiers have no excuse to make physical contact with women who are not members of their immediate family.
Not that I am suggesting that that would stop it if they were ordered, but the government need to make nice in public to qualify for International aid.

Brave ladies indeed to figh for their girls.

Amazingly brave women.

It is horrifying to know that within a very few years many, many young women are going to be dying in childbirth and their babies with them. No education for girls means no female hcps which means no medical care for women and girls. Is that what it is going to take for these stupid, cruel men to wake up?

I wish there was something we could do to help these women. They’re so brave.

I honestly think that any woman who can manage to get out of Afghanistan should be able to seek asylum.

To stay in the UK as a refugee you must be unable to live safely in any part of your own country because you fear persecution there.

If you’re stateless, your own country is the country you usually live in.

This persecution must be because of:
• your race
• your religion
• your nationality
• your political opinion
• anything else that puts you at risk because of the social, cultural, religious or political situation in your country, for example, your gender, gender identity or sexual orientation

You must have failed to get protection from authorities in your own country.

When your claim might not be considered
Your claim might not be considered if you:
• are from an EU country
• travelled to the UK through a ‘safe third country’
• have a connection to a safe third country where you could claim asylum

Generally, a safe third country is one that:
• you’re not a citizen of
• you would not be harmed in
• would not send you on to another country where you would be harmed

I mean, certainly they’d have grounds to claim asylum - not necessarily in the UK, of course, though certainly they could argue that they were concerned about being returned from [some of] the countries Afghanistan borders & that they could cross into & travel straight to here from.

(Obviously infuriating the government use gender not sex. Ugh. Educate yourselves & Do Better.)

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the stunning and brave members of the TRA marched out there to rescue their "sisters", recognising that they too are a hard done by minority. (I can never remember what words they use to describe the way they are the most trampled on.) After all, some of them have years of experience in the military...

Absolutely.

I’d really like to see this thread stay focused on these amazing women. Their courage is inspiring and humbling.

Only on second reading did I notice that the women were not wearing veils, and, of course, not accompanied by male guardians. (Thus protecting them from imprisonment),
I did not, by the way, think I was diverting from attention to what These women are doing. Others had also contrasted the truly outstanding actions of these women with the men who only take on unarmed women.

I'm sorry to say this, but that won't have any impact. It's happened before. There is no 'waking up' for most of these men.

I too wish there was something we could do to help. Are there no organisations working with Afghan women in Afghanistan?

I honestly think that any woman who can manage to get out of Afghanistan should be able to seek asylum.

Yes, but I imagine the getting out bit is not easy?

I think most NGOs left when the US forces left.

There is this organisation (US based) - I don't know anything about them, though: womenforafghanwomen.org/

More on protests - woman here says if you protest you are blacklisted and not allowed to leave the country: uk.news.yahoo.com/afghan-women-fighting-rights-160159468.html

Footage here of Taliban firing shots to disperse the crowd (thankfully into the air)

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-62537655

This is a Scottish based charity helping women and children in Afghanistan.

lindanorgrovefoundation.org/

Some great projects actually, helping individual women with sponsorships to study, including medecine.

lindanorgrovefoundation.org/what-we-do/

I don’t understand why there is not outrage that after 20 years we and then us etc just pulled out and abandoned these women. Why is this not a scandal?????

I’ll look up those above two organizations- but why are non of the major feminists/ feminist groups advocating for these women??

I want yo help but when I started to start looking today (only briefly so far) there really isn’t as much noise and outrage about this as I expected. I am perplexed why not???