0
0
Hazara women in Shepparton together with national refugee support groups are launching 12 months of action on International Women’s Day to raise awareness of the persecution facing girls and women in Afghanistan.
The Hazara women, who have settled in Shepparton after escaping persecution in Afghanistan, established the Goulburn Valley Afghan Women’s Association Shepparton on Thursday 28 February. On 8 March, they will also launch the first Australian group of Rural Australians for Refugees founded by Hazara women.
Together with Rural Australians for Refugees, Women for Change and Azadi-e Zan, they are calling on women’s groups around the country to join with women and girls in Afghanistan for the restoration of equality and human rights.
Called We stand with women and girls in Afghanistan, the 12 months of action aims to galvanise Australian women and political leaders into advocating for safety, freedom and education for girls and women in Afghanistan.
The campaign will spotlight the increasing oppression and violence towards girls and women under the Taliban. Women’s safety and freedom deteriorated drastically following the Taliban’s return in August 2021. However, this has substantially worsened in the past six months. Girls and women are no longer able to leave the house without a male relative.
The increasing persecution and violence directed at girls and women is affecting their freedom, rights and safety in all areas of life:
– Afghanistan is the only country that prevents girls from attending school or university after the age of 12
– Women can only work in female designated areas such as health care. Their safety is not guaranteed
– Even with a male present, they are vulnerable to attacks
– Many young girls are forced into marriage with Taliban soldiers
– Stoning has again been legalised in several rural areas
Hazara woman and Mansfield local Hamida Samar arrived in Australia on a humanitarian visa in March 2023 with the help of Rural Australians for Refugees. Hamida was in grave danger after the Taliban returned because of her work with the Ministry of Defence.
“It is so important that the world raises its voice in support of women and girls in Afghanistan. Young women and girls in Afghanistan can no longer leave the house without male protection. They are being kidnapped and subjected to horrific persecution, including imprisonment, forced marriage and rape.”
“Married women are forced to carry their marriage certificate as proof that the man with them is their husband. If they forget their certificate, they also face imprisonment, forced marriage and rape. Women cannot talk about their experiences on social media or elsewhere as they will become a direct target of the Taliban.”
Lida Hazara Nayeeb, founder of Women For Change:
“Women For Change have been working for 5 years in Afghanistan to empower women and girls through education and training. It is 29 months and 25 days that girls and women in Afghanistan are locked up in a very dark cage. They are physically removed from society, hidden in their dwellings and the light of education is turned off. It is inhumane that a regime closes education doors for girls. Women and girls in Afghanistan have no hope that they will be free to live normal lives; their only hope is the support of women around the world. Please do not forget them, advocate for them, stand up for them, break their cages and free them.”
Susan Hutchison, Executive Director of Azadi-e Zan, a Canberra-based organisation formed to support women’s rights defenders following the fall of Kabul:
“Women and women’s human rights defenders are at extremely high risk of violence and persecution. The Australian Government needs to urgently find more creative ways to support education, hope and opportunity for all women and girls in Afghanistan. This includes prioritising visa processing for women at high risk, including women’s human rights defenders.”
Gillian Triggs, former United Nations Assistant Secretary and Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees – and the Ambassador for Rural Australians for Refugees:
“As Australians, it is important that we speak up to draw attention to the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan. The denial of education to girls over 12 years, and limited access for women to public spaces and employment, especially the targeting of Hazara women, violate fundamental principles of international human rights law. Bravo to rural communities and to the Goulburn Valley Women’s Association for their leadership and support.”
Hazara women in Shepparton and the newly-established Goulburn Valley Afghan Women’s Association Shepparton will launch We stand with the women and girls of Afghanistan on Friday 8 March 2024. Women’s groups and organisations throughout Australia are being invited to join the campaign and add their voices to the call for the restoration of rights and freedom for girls and women in Afghanistan.
We stand with the women and girls of Afghanistan is being supported by:
– Hazara women in Shepparton through the newly-launched Goulburn Valley Afghan Women’s Association Shepparton, which is also launching Australia’s first group of Rural Australians for Refugees founded by Hazara women
– Women For Change, focusing on education and empowerment for women and girls in Afghanistan
– Azadi-e Zan, a Canberra based organisation helping defend women’s rights since the fall of Kabul
– Rural Australians for Refugees, a network of over 70 volunteer groups in rural and regional Australia that has been actively engaged in supporting vulnerable people at risk under Taliban rule.
The photographs of girls and women in Afghanistan featured in We stand with women and girls in Afghanistan have been provided courtesy of Hazara filmmaker and photographer Barat Ali Batoor.
