Women of Afghanistan: hard fate. Life of Afghan women

Afghanistan is one of the most ancient countries in the world. In the 6th century BC e. Afghanistan became part of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. The country was alternately ruled by Indian, Greek, Arab, Iranian and Mongol rulers. There is no official language in Afghanistan, as the population in different regions speaks Uzbek, Persian, Turkmen and many other languages.

Education and medicine are very poorly developed in the country, and female mortality is also high. Afghan women they are unusually patient, they have to live in difficult conditions, Sharia law is in force in the country. According to UN estimates, 90% Afghan women suffer from domestic violence in one form or another.
It is still impossible to forget the story of an Afghan girl Aishi Muhammadzai, whose husband cut off her ears and nose at the age of 17. The girl managed to escape and after some time, her face Aishi hit the cover of a magazine "Time". Afghan Aisha became popular all over the world and became a symbol of the oppressed Afghan women.
Most famous Afghan women are forced to pursue music, acting, modeling careers outside their country, since in Afghanistan itself such a woman can be severely punished. AT Top 11 most beautiful Afghan women included famous actresses, singers, models and winners of beauty contests who have Afghan roots.

8. Anne Marie Khan / Anne Marie Khan(b. 1990 Ontario, Canada) - Canadian model and writer, her father is Afghan, mother is from Sri Lanka.

3. Mozda Jamalzadah / Mozhdah Jamalzadah(born December 7, 1985, Kabul, Afghanistan) is an Afghan-Canadian pop singer.

The bloody confrontation has been going on in Afghanistan for many decades, and there is no hope for an early resolution of the conflict. Today, the country is a real time bomb that could undermine the precarious peace in the entire region. The Taliban managed to be removed from power in 2001, but representatives of the radical Islamist movement still represent a serious force in Afghanistan to be reckoned with.

Under the Taliban regime, there have been significant changes that have affected the lives of women in Afghanistan. Many gender issues remain unresolved to this day, but now, fortunately, the situation is gradually starting to improve. Things were much worse in the 80s and 90s of the last century, when women were actually deprived of all rights.

Main restrictions

From the age of eight, the girl was forbidden to contact a man. The only exceptions were the husband and male relatives, who are called mahram. It was not allowed to appear on the street without the accompaniment of a husband or relative and without Muslim clothing, which completely covers the face and body, leaving only the eyes. could not wear shoes with heels, because the sound of footsteps can irritate a man, and this is unacceptable.

In addition, the fair sex was forbidden to speak loudly in public places. Their conversation was not to be overheard by any stranger. All windows on the first floors of buildings were boarded up or painted over so that the women inside could not be seen from the street. In private homes, a high fence was often installed instead.

Women in Afghanistan are not allowed to be photographed or filmed, and their images are not allowed to be placed in books, magazines, newspapers, or even in their own homes. All phrases in which the word "woman" was present were modified. For example, "women's yard" changed to "spring yard". Afghans could not appear on the balconies of any buildings, speak on radio or television, attend any cultural events.

How women are treated in Afghanistan because of these restrictions is already clear. The restrictions were distorted beyond recognition, although they were created on the basis of the Islamic dress code and Sharia. The actions of the Taliban were actually aimed at infringing on the rights of women, since there is no law in Sharia, according to which the fair sex cannot work, move independently, hide their hands and face. On the contrary, getting an education is only welcome.

Appearance

Women in Afghanistan cannot wear bright clothes as the Taliban consider it sexually attractive. A 1996 decree states that Afghan women who wear tight and flashy clothing and jewelry will never go to heaven. All beauty salons were banned, as were cosmetics or nail polishes. Women were required to cover their entire bodies, including their faces. The wearing of a burqa (burqa, veil) was especially encouraged - a loose robe with long sleeves and a mesh covering the face.

Movement

Without a husband or male relative, an Afghan woman found herself effectively under house arrest. Strict restrictions made almost any movement impossible. For example, Latifa, an Afghan woman, was beaten by a Taliban mob for walking alone down the street. But Latifa's father was killed in the war, she had no brothers, husband or sons. And in a shelter in Kabul, after the Taliban came to power, about 400 girls were locked in the building for almost a year.

In addition, the representatives of the weaker sex are not allowed to drive a car (even if there is an accompanying person - a husband or a male relative), or call a taxi. Women and men cannot ride public transport together. Such restrictions affected the lives of women in Afghanistan from small villages who worked within their territory to a lesser extent. But they could not travel to neighboring villages either.

Employment

The Taliban claimed that at work, a woman can have sexual contact with a colleague during working hours, which is contrary to Sharia law. So in September 1996, all women in the country were barred from any type of wage work. This mass layoff was a real disaster for the economy, especially in the household and education sectors, where the work was mainly of the fairer sex.

At that time, the Supreme Leader assured that women who worked in government positions or in education would receive a monthly allowance ($5). Members of the radical movement welcomed the observance of patriarchal values ​​and the allocation of funds for the payment of benefits.

The only area where women could remain is medicine. Women doctors were needed to treat the fairer sex, but a number of strict restrictions were imposed on them. Many voluntarily left their jobs due to gender segregation and harassment practices. For this reason, women doctors, whose number in one of the hospitals in Kabul was reduced from 200 to 50, were highly valued. Only they were able to provide medical care (including obstetric care) to other women.

After the fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the situation of a humanitarian catastrophe has developed. Many women were in need of qualified medical care, while there were no actual female doctors. Representatives of humanitarian organizations were also allowed to stay at work. According to the Taliban, they could help other helpless women and promote the usefulness of the introduced norms.

Education

Women's rights in Afghanistan are violated everywhere. The same applies to the field of education. Formally, the Taliban encouraged education, but only up to the age of eight. It was explained that such measures were taken to prevent contact with men and as an additional security measure. The curriculum was changed: it became more "Islamic", encouraging young Afghan girls to commit jihad.

In Kabul, more than 100,000 girls were suspended from school, almost 8,000 teachers were fired, and 63 schools immediately closed due to a lack of staff. Some teachers continued to teach underground, teaching adult women and Afghan girls in their homes. This is a huge risk, because teachers could, at best, end up in jail, and at worst, lose their lives altogether.

healthcare

Before the Taliban came to power, male doctors were allowed to provide medical care to women in emergency situations, but after the decree that a man was forbidden to touch the body of another woman, this became impossible. As a result, the situation has become widespread when the representatives of the weaker sex had to travel long enough distances to get help.

In Kabul, there were unofficial clinics in their own homes that served the family and neighbors, but, of course, they could not provide the necessary medicines. Significantly increased the percentage of premature deaths among women. Families that had sufficient finances were able to receive medical care in neighboring Pakistan. In 1998, it was forbidden to visit hospitals, medical care could only be obtained in special wards. In Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, there were only one such hospital.

In 1996, women were banned from visiting baths, as this (according to representatives of the radical organization) was contrary to religious laws. The bath was the only way for many Afghan women to maintain personal hygiene, so the ban caused a surge in infectious diseases.

Marriage and children

Girls are married very early. Afghan weddings are often forced. A man is allowed to have up to seven wives at the same time, but none of them should be deprived of his attention, all women should be provided financially. Now not many Afghans have multiple wives - it's too expensive.

The biggest danger to women in Afghanistan is not even the Taliban, but their own family. Today, many of the fairer sex suffer abuse and oppression, and are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse. Some find help in shelters, but most return to families where they were offended, because there is simply no other alternative.

culture

Women and their images cannot be present in any media, and any phrases with the word “woman” were replaced with alternative ones. The fairer sex was not allowed to play sports and go to sports clubs. All this affected the condition of Afghan women. The survey showed that 91% of them experience symptoms of depression.

Punishments

Women were punished in public, more often in stadiums or city squares. In 1996, an Afghan woman had her thumb cut off for having painted nails, and in the same year, 255 women were whipped for violating the dress code. In 1999, a certain Zarmina was sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, who insulted and beat her. The woman was tortured, did not confess to the murder, which was actually committed by her daughter, and not by herself.

Afghan Aisha Bibi was forced into marriage at the age of twelve. Six years later, she tried to escape and return to her family, but her father turned her daughter over to a Taliban commander. The unfortunate girl had her nose and ears cut off and then left to die in the mountains, but she survived.

There were cases when men were punished because of women. For example, they punished a taxi driver who took a woman unaccompanied by her husband or male relative, the husbands of those representatives of the weaker sex who were alone doing laundry by the river, and so on.

It wasn't always like this

Women's rights in Afghanistan have not always been infringed upon. In 1919, for example, women in the country got the opportunity to vote in elections, and in the middle of the last century they were allowed not to wear a veil. In 1960, a provision on equal rights (without regard to gender) appeared in the Constitution. But turmoil, poverty, lack of legal and social protection, orphanhood and widowhood made Afghan women completely dependent on men. Things got worse when the radical Taliban came to power.

military women

Now the situation has improved a bit. But still there are serious problems that prevent women in Afghanistan from living peacefully. Now there are even women who serve in the army. They get access where it is impossible for men, are trained to behave in different situations, learn local traditions and the Pashtun language. True, female soldiers in Afghanistan are mostly Americans, and Afghan translators are very rare.

Notable women

Today, many women are doing everything in their power to improve the situation of local women. For example, Fawzia Kufi, a former member of parliament, promotes laws to protect women's rights, Robina Mukimyar Jalalai participated in the Olympic Games in 2005 and then ran for parliament, and Mojdah Jamalzadah is somewhat similar to the Asian Oprah Winfrey, the girl made a real sensation on television.

Known in the West is Sharbat Gula, who for a long time was simply called an Afghan girl. She became famous thanks to a photograph that appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine. An amazing photo of Sharbat Gula, taken in 1984, is compared with a portrait of Mona Lisa. Gulya was then about twelve years old.

This Afghan woman became famous thanks to the photographer Steve McCurry, who took a picture of her face when she was still a little girl. This happened during the Soviet-Afghan war, when Gula ended up in a refugee camp on the border with Pakistan.

She was born around 1972. Why such an approximate date? About this and about who the Afghan girl with green eyes is, about the events related to Afghanistan in the late 70s and early 80s, you can find out in this article.

About photography

The photo, which was popularly called "Afghan Girl", is very famous. She is sometimes compared to Leonardo da Vinci's portrait of the famous Mona Lisa, and is often referred to as the "Afghan Mona Lisa".

A photo of a mysterious girl with surprisingly unusual green eyes has long been the object of close attention of the whole society.

What is the Afghan girl in the photo thinking? What's in her eyes? Confusion, fear or anger? Looking at the face of this girl, each time you can discover something new for yourself. This is the secret of the popularity of photography. The girl's face is sure to remain in the memory of people who see her, because it carries ambiguity.

It has become a kind of symbol of the Afghan refugee problem. McCurry himself said that in the last 17 years there has hardly been a day when he did not receive any email, letter, etc. about his work. Many wanted to help this girl, send money or adopt. There were those who wanted to marry her.

The image was replicated and published a lot: on postcards, posters, in magazines, etc. Most major publications used photos on the covers of their magazines. Even the T-shirts were printed with her image.

Afghan girl Sharbat Gula: biography, name meaning

Much has been written about the girl's history. By nationality, Sharbat is an Afghan (Pashtun). She does not know her exact birthday, as well as the year, because the baby was left an orphan. After her family died, she ended up in the Pakistani refugee camp of Nasir Bagh. Since then, she has not learned to read, but she knows how to write her name.

An Afghan girl married a simple baker Ramat Gul in the late 1980s and returned to Afghanistan with her family in 1992. In total, Sharbat now has 3 daughters: Robina, Aliya and Zahid. There was also a 4th daughter, but she died shortly after birth. The woman hopes that her children, in comparison with her, will receive a good education, learn to read and write. Sharbat herself had no opportunity for this. Now she is over 40 years old.

This woman never even suspected how famous she became, how much has been written about her piercing gaze. However, according to her stories, it remained in her memory how some white man photographed her. She never filmed again in her life, especially a year after that famous shooting, she began to wear a veil.

The name of the Afghan girl (Sharbat Gula) in translation means "flower sherbet".

A little about the author of the photo

This photo was taken by renowned professional photographer Steve McCurry in a refugee camp in Pakistan (Nasir Bagh).

In 1985, a 13-year-old Afghan girl with green eyes was featured on the cover of one of the magazines (National Geographic).

History of photography

One morning, photographer McCurry, walking through the Nasir Bagh camp, saw a tent in which there was a school. He asked the teacher for permission to take pictures of several students (there were only about 20 of them). She allowed.

His attention was drawn to the look of one girl. He asked the teacher about her. She said that the girl with the remaining relatives traveled several weeks through the mountains after a helicopter attack on their village. Naturally, the baby was hard pressed by this situation, because she lost the people closest to her.

McCurry made a portrait of the Afghan girl Gula (he did not recognize her name then) on color film, and without additional lighting.

This "photo shoot" took only a couple of minutes. It was only after returning to Washington that McCurry realized what an amazing picture he had taken. Photo preparation (prepress) was done by art agent Georgia (Marietta).

The image was so soulful and hard to see that the photo editor at National Geographic did not want to use it at first, but ended up putting it on the cover of this magazine with the caption "Afghan Girl".

Sharbat life today

For a long time the fate of the heroine of the famous picture remained unknown. After McCurry found her again after a long search in 2002, something became clear about how her difficult fate developed.

Sharbat's life is quite complicated. She got married at the age of 13 (according to her memoirs, and her husband believes that at 16). Every day before sunrise and after sunset, she always prays. Every day he does ordinary household chores: fetching water from a stream, doing laundry, cooking, taking care of his children. The meaning of her whole life is children.

Her husband, Rahmat Gul, lives mainly in Peshevan, where there is a bakery, in which he earns a small living.

There is also a serious health problem. Sharbat has asthma, and this does not allow her to live in the city. She's better in the mountains. She lives with her family in the most warlike tribe (Pashtuns), which at one time formed the backbone of the Taliban movement.

Afghan girl about herself and those events

In 2002, led by Steve McCurry, a National Geographic magazine team was organized specifically to search for that very girl (certain searches were also undertaken before that).

And so, soon a new picture was taken, but already matured Sharbat: in a long robe, a women's cloak and with a raised veil (with the permission of her husband). And again, the lens captured the eyes of an Afghan girl, but already matured.

In her opinion, she survived by the will of God. She believes that her family lived better under the Taliban than under numerous bombings.

She also says that the Americans are ruining their lives, just like the Russians once did. People, in her opinion, are tired of wars, invasions and loss of blood. As soon as the country has a new leader, the people of Afghanistan gain hope for the best, bright, but each time they are deceived and disappointed.

Sharbat also showed dissatisfaction with that very childhood photograph of her: you see, she was filmed there in a shawl with a hole, which she still remembers how she burned it over the stove.

Conclusion

The beautiful face of the girl with her bewitching look speaks of hidden excitement at the same time as determination, steadfastness and dignity. Although it is clear that she is poor, there is genuine nobility and strength in her. And most importantly, in her eyes you can see the full severity of the suffering and torment that the simple, long-suffering Afghan people endure.

Medical statistics show that in 80% of cases self-immolation attempts are made by young women aged 15 to 25 years. According to doctors, the main reasons that encourage women to commit suicide are forced marriages and other types of domestic violence, as well as unemployment, poverty and drug addiction. As a result of self-immolations, suicides either die or become life-long disabled from their burns. In 2010, in the province of Herat, 78 cases of self-immolation of women have been recorded so far, of which 38 have led to the death of suicides.

Afghan province of Herat. Zahra, 21, poses for a photograph in the room she shares with her mother. Six years ago, Zahra tried to set herself on fire because she did not want to marry the man her family had chosen for her. Since Zahra set herself on fire, the groom has disappeared and never appeared again. In Afghan culture, betrothal has the same power as marriage, and therefore Zahra cannot find another husband until she breaks off the engagement.

Ganifeh, 15, screams during the first change of bandages after a skin graft operation at the burn center at the Herat Regional Hospital. Ganife admitted that she tried to commit suicide after she was beaten by her mother-in-law.

Nurse Fatima Mohammadi comforts Ganifeh during the dressing. Hanifa got married about six months ago. She lived alone with her husband's parents, who went to work in Iran.

The nurse comforts Hanifa. An Afghan woman's life choices are as limited as possible: she has little chance of getting any kind of education, even less chance of marrying for love, and practically no chance of becoming a mistress in her own home. Her main task is to serve her husband's family. After leaving her own family, she becomes an outcast forever.

Mother Hanife gives her daughter juice. “The source of violence in the life of an Afghan woman can be any member of her family: father, brother, husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law or sister-in-law,” says Dr. Shafika Eanin, a plastic surgeon at the burn center.

Farzana, 17, and her mother at their home in Herat are about to go to a private clinic. Farzana was engaged at eight and married at twelve. The girl decided to burn herself after her father-in-law declared that she did not have the courage to do so.

Farzana grimaces in pain during the dressing. That day, humiliated and depressed, she went out into the yard. She gave her husband their nine-month-old daughter so that the child would not see her mother burn. And then she doused herself in kerosene.

Farzane changing bandages after a skin graft at the burn center at the Herat Regional Hospital. A bright girl who loved poetry and learning the Dari language, Farzana dreamed of becoming a teacher.

Juma Gul, 32, cries at the bedside of his mother, Gul Zada, 45, about an hour before her death at the burn center at the Herat Regional Hospital. The son says that the day before his mother committed self-immolation, she, along with her children, went to her sister for a family holiday. Everything seemed to be in order. However, it later turned out that the woman did not bring the gift, and her relatives scolded her for it. “Poverty is one of the reasons why women set themselves on fire,” says Dr. Arif Jalali, senior surgeon at the Herat Regional Hospital. They naively believe that death by self-immolation is instantaneous.

Maria José Brunel, a French nurse with the international NGO Humaniterra closes the eyes of the late Gul Zada. “She was already on the mend,” her son claimed. But in reality, the woman became infected, and her family did not have the money to buy the necessary potent antibiotics. In a matter of days, the infection killed the woman while Juma struggled to scrape together the required amount.

Gul Zada's relatives mourn the deceased. She always did everything for her family. “As soon as I wanted something, she immediately fulfilled my whim,” says her eldest son Juma, a construction laborer who earns $140 a month. “She embroidered our clothes so that we would not feel inferior to others”

21-year-old Ferukh during a session of physiotherapy, the main purpose of which is to prevent muscle atrophy. Self-immolation is especially common in Herat and western Afghanistan.

Maryam mourns her 13-year-old daughter, Najiba. The girl was given in marriage six months ago, and she says that her mother-in-law doused her with gasoline and set her on fire. Although her mother and nurses at the hospital were skeptical about this story, they came to the conclusion that the girl tried to commit suicide.

Najiba's empty bed. Doctors, nurses and human rights activists believe that the most horrific cases of burning women are intentional killings that only masquerade as suicides.

The situation of women in Afghanistan and the assistance that the world community can provide them have become. The forum is organized by the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy and the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A representative delegation of Afghan women arrived at the conference and discussed ways of interaction with representatives of the business circles of our country. On the eve of the conference, a website correspondent visited the capital of Afghanistan and talked with women who defend their rights every day.

Most women in Afghanistan are completely dependent on men / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

No one knows exactly how many people live in Afghanistan today. The population of this highly unstable Asian country is estimated to be about 34 million people. Of these, more than half - and this is 17 million - are women. Their rights, or rather, the complete absence of any rights during the rule of the theocratic Taliban regime in the country became one of the main world humanitarian problems of the early 21st century. Today, Afghan women are gradually regaining their lost social role, but this is not easy.

The main occupation of the Afghans is trade / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

There is no need to talk about peace in Afghanistan, almost 17 years after the overthrow of the Taliban. There was no peace in the country, and there is not. The population is subjected to constant terrorist attacks. A relatively fragile well-being has been established in the cities, but even then thanks to the presence of a foreign military contingent and active assistance from abroad in various fields. Today, Afghanistan is unable to support itself and provide at least elementary security. Against this background, there are serious fears for the future of the most vulnerable part of Afghan society - women.

Kabul today / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

What do Afghan women themselves say about their future life in this country?

Leah Javad, head of the Afghan women's human rights organization / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Leah Javad

Leah Javad heads a women's rights organization. Lives and works in Kabul.

I was born and raised in Kabul. When I was 15, my family left for Pakistan, where we lived as refugees for 20 years, says Leah. - After the events of 2001, we returned to our homeland and now we live in Kabul.

A resident of Kabul on Mount Rabbani / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

All my childhood was very joyful for me, because I had a big friendly family. We lived with my father's relatives. There were many of us children in the house. Our family is very educated. My father was at that time a professor at Kabul University. At the age of 7, I went to school, but I could not complete my 12 years of education, as it was customary then to marry girls at an early age. I got married and then we moved to Pakistan.

The national flag of Afghanistan flies over Kabul / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

In Pakistan, I graduated from a university with a degree in Economics. I taught at the university for 12 years. I didn't have the opportunity to think about what I'm doing now. In 2002, when the Taliban regime was overthrown, we moved to Afghanistan, and then I began to think that it was necessary to raise some issues that had been hushed up for many years. Our first step was to open a school in Lagar province. We opened educational institutions underground, at home, in basements. They taught children to read and write, without separating boys and girls. There were big doubts in my family whether I would be able to work, whether I would survive. My father and husband were very worried. They helped me to persevere because there were threats and there was very strong opposition from fundamentalists to our work.

Afghan boys at the cattle market / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

All schools were closed during the Taliban period,” Ms. Jawad continues. - We brought books for children on horseback through the mountains, illegally. With the advent of the government of Hamid Karzai in 2002, we began to work officially. I studied at special courses in England for three months. There she gained some theoretical experience in social work. Then, it was already 2006, I realized that I needed to open my own office.

Liya Javad is constantly threatened by representatives of the Taliban movement, which is now considered opposition in Afghanistan / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Then, when I was at a conference in Mazar-i-Sharif, our office was attacked. Later, I received a threatening letter that I should stop my activities. We had to move to another, remote area of ​​Kabul called Kosh Karkhan. There we were already operating underground.

Militants on the streets of Kabul / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

I was recommended to limit all movements as much as possible, as well as those appeals that we published, calling for justice in relation to certain events. For a whole year we did not go anywhere, it was very difficult to get to work, home. The atmosphere at home was tense. My family roots are from Lagar province. We didn't see our families.

An elderly resident of the Afghan capital / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Nevertheless, we continued our activities, because in Afghanistan there are always people who need help, primarily psychological. The work of our office began with the fact that we began to help widowed women whose husbands died during the war. Our main task was to show that they can live normally and return them to society. We helped these women get jobs, organized courses in cutting and sewing. At the small garment factories that exist in Kabul, we looked for vacancies, negotiated with the owners and arranged for these girls to work. They could earn money, support children - returned to society.

Afghans do not lose optimism / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

We received another threat at the end of 2015,” the Afghan human rights activist continues her story. - I and 9 other men received letters from the Taliban demanding to stop our activities. A fatwa has been issued against us. Six months earlier, in one of the houses of Kabul, a mullah had killed a girl. We called a press conference and called on the authorities to close the mosque from which that mullah was. A madrasah worked at the mosque. But we have not received any support from the state. We were only recommended to live outside the country for a while. For six months, the whole family lived in India.

Medieval manners reign in the Afghan province / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

I periodically came to Kabul. Tried to keep up the work. We received threats now constantly. They called my husband on the phone and demanded that he influence me. We thought about hiring bodyguards for ourselves and our children even while living in India. The special services offered me to buy a weapon so that I could carry it with me.

The guys return home after working in the field / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

The basis of our work is to change the system of prejudice against women, - says Liya Javad. - I have repeatedly visited America, England, Holland. I was offered many times to apply for refugee status and stay in these prosperous countries. I have many friends who used this opportunity - they left. They constantly persuade me to leave so as not to endanger the family. But my decision to work for the good of the people remains unchanged. My family gives me moral support. Everyone understands that Afghanistan is our homeland and we must help our country.

Armed people are found everywhere in Afghanistan / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

If we consider the way women live in the capital of Afghanistan to be the norm for us, then we can form a wrong idea about the situation in the country. Even what the media is showing now is only a small fraction of what is actually happening today. The depressing economic situation, the lack of at least some work in the regions. There is no need to say what position our women are in.

Most recently, a young woman was burned to death in Bagrami district in Kabul province. Her husband was guilty of the crime. As it became known, the husband of this woman is a civil servant. And the doctor who treated this woman turned to her husband's superiors with a proposal to sue, so that there would be some legal consequences of this crime. However, the answer was: "If you don't shut up, we will kill your entire family!"

Photo by Grigory Bedenko

The current situation is such that there are a lot of divorces in the country, despite the fact that Afghanistan is an Islamic state. There are even cases when spouses get divorced a month after the wedding. For an Islamic country, this is nonsense, Leah continues. - Not all women can continue to live peacefully after a divorce. Such women are under powerful pressure from others. Only a few - sufficiently wealthy or educated - can remarry, give birth to children. But, as a rule, after a divorce, a woman remains alone for the rest of her life. The mentality of our people is such that all the blame for divorce falls on the woman. According to the laws, children under the age of eight must stay with their mother and only after that they can go under the guardianship of their father. But the real situation is that children are taken away. We are currently helping such women. Our Ministry of Internal Affairs has a special unit to combat violence against women. They often turn to them, and we help the victims to bring the case to court in order to formalize the divorce, and so that the children, if possible, remain with their mothers.

In the countryside of Afghanistan, there are traditions that may seem wild to a resident of a civilized country / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

We have such a tradition of "bacha-push". Fortunately, it has not been widely adopted. Due to our mentality, the Afghan people are very fond of the boys in the family. When a boy is born, it is a great joy, parents share it with their relatives, friends and neighbors. When a girl is born, many perceive it as a tragedy. The tradition of "bacha-push" has been developed in those families where there are many girls. If the situation does not allow taking a second or third wife so that they give birth to boys, the family decides to dress one of the girls in men's clothes, give her a different name. And she becomes a boy. All the neighbors in the neighborhood see that there is a boy in this family. Everything changes with age. When a girl has distinct feminine features, many families lock these children at home, they don’t let them go anywhere. And these children then grow up with a sick psyche.

The birth of a boy is a great success for the Afghan family / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

According to the human rights activist, positive changes have been observed in Afghanistan since 2001. But only in big cities. If we look at the situation with women's rights, we can say that women manage to realize about a third of their rights. But in many provinces, counties, even to this day there are not even elementary schools where children can study, not to mention girls.

Afghan fighters in the village of Guzar / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

I myself pray every day for the future of Afghanistan,” says Leah Javad. - But, unfortunately, the reality is such that it seems to me rather vague now. And expectations are quite pessimistic. First of all, due to the fact that Afghanistan today cannot ensure its security. We do not have an established production, we are outside the economic market. We cannot exist without foreign aid. The American leadership has submitted for consideration the question of the complete withdrawal of the foreign contingent from the country. The reason is that about 48 million dollars are spent annually on its maintenance. Studies have shown that if private military companies are brought into the country, spending will be reduced to $8 million.

If foreign forces leave our country, it is possible that Afghanistan will face a powerful crisis. At present, despite the fact that there are large mineral deposits in Afghanistan, the country is not able to develop them independently. We need international assistance, primarily in the training of specialists. Unfortunately, now most of our young people who have received education in the country or abroad cannot find work. Unemployment is rising, and despite official statements from the authorities, most of the population lives below the poverty line. I am sure that if foreign aid stops coming to Afghanistan, the situation will become seriously complicated. And in the very near future, Afghanistan will face a major crisis, the human rights activist is convinced.

Kabul landscape / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Lia Javad's husband is a teacher at the Kabul Medical University. She has six children - two boys and four girls - and eight grandchildren. Two daughters live abroad. One of them graduated from an American university with a degree in finance and accounting. All children were educated. The youngest is in his fifth year of medical school. Leah's first education was in economics. But now the job requires knowledge of law, so she studies law.

Hasina Majidi, Afghan businesswoman / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Hasina Majidi

Hasina Majidi works at the local UN office and also owns her own sewing workshop.

I was born in the province of Parvan, - says the girl. - My family by local standards is considered intelligentsia. I live with my mother and father. I spent almost all of my childhood in Iran due to the fact that the Taliban took over my country. I completed my elementary school there. When the Taliban was overthrown, we returned, and I finished school already in Afghanistan. Of course, any childhood has its vivid memories, I also have a lot of them, but, unfortunately, everything I have is connected with the status of a refugee in a foreign country. We constantly moved from one city to another.

In the sewing workshop of Khasina / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Hasina is single and lives with her parents and younger siblings. There are six children in the family.

Hasina provided jobs for six Afghan women / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

In 2010, I graduated from high school, then entered the university with a degree in English literature, - says Hasina. - In 2016 I graduated from the university, but, unfortunately, I do not work in this specialty, but I am engaged in my own small business.

Girls sew clothes and various items for the home to order / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

The idea to open my own business came in 2014. It so happened that it was necessary to earn money. After graduation, I retrained, opened my own small sewing workshop. The main idea was that not only me, but also other women could have a job. Currently, I am also an employee of the local UN office, but this does not prevent me from working here. Women come to me who want to work, but for some reason cannot get a job somewhere else. Personally, my goal is to grow further to show the society what an Afghan woman is capable of.

Girls also learn to work in the workshop / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Of course, there are many difficulties in private business,” continues Hasina Majidi. - Unfortunately, now we do not feel the support of the state. It would be nice to get some organizational help. Since 2017, I have unwittingly become the main support in the family. I help my parents, brothers and sisters. We understand that now the role and place of women in Afghan society is insignificant. But we are trying to fix it.

Hasina believes that the main thing for an Afghan woman is education / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Now, compared with previous years, the status of women in Afghanistan has changed significantly. Women are represented in both the public and private sectors and in international organizations. This is a great achievement for us. Such opportunities need to be further expanded. Afghanistan is my homeland. I would very much like to believe that the country will come out of the crisis in which we are now. First of all, it is necessary to change the mentality of women themselves. Many of our women themselves are sure that their place is at home. And here the way out, first of all, is education, including with foreign aid. An educated woman herself will choose what interests her and in what area she can develop further, - Hasina Majidi believes.

Adela Raz, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Adela Raz

Adela Raz is the Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan for Economic Affairs.

If we talk about a woman in our country today - she is strong and very seriously involved in public life, - says Adela. - When I first went abroad from Afghanistan to study, then the Taliban regime was operating. In those years, a woman, not only to study or work, she could not leave the house. If I had been asked then whether an Afghan woman would represent the interests of her country in the world, I would have unequivocally said no. But today everything has changed, there is support for women from the Afghan authorities in politics and public life. Today, women are represented not only in the public sector, but also in the private sector. Nevertheless, we are facing serious challenges, which you are well aware of. The main one is the rejection of the growing role of women by a certain part of society.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan - a Soviet-built building / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

We have some positive changes in various areas - in education, medicine, and so on. I am sure that the struggle for their rights, which our women are waging and which will continue, will bring positive results. But this takes time. I would also like to note that the rights of women today are being infringed not only in Afghanistan, but also in the South Asian region as a whole. There are certain challenges in politics and in the economy.

A boy from Kabul / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

A woman's economic independence plays a very important role, continues Ms. Raz. - In Afghanistan, women are highly dependent on men who provide for their families. Our authorities are focusing on developing the private sector for our women. Fortunately, we are making good progress in this respect. Women today own their own business and are supported by the government.

Photo by Grigory Bedenko

Our President Ashraf Ghani always emphasizes that women are the most important part of Afghan society, says Adela Raz . - The main theme of the conference in Astana is the economic development of women in Afghanistan. Almost all similar events that took place earlier did not take into account the opinions of Afghan women. But this time it's different. I want to thank the government of Kazakhstan for this.

Helicopter over the building of the American embassy in Kabul / Photo by Grigory Bedenko

I would also like to thank the government of Kazakhstan for providing educational grants for Afghan youth, including Afghan girls. I hope this program will continue. Our delegation includes the director of the independent department of vocational education. She will talk specifically about the specialties for which grants will need to be provided in the future. Today we are in dire need of professional personnel, including women with a good education. Afghanistan is a developing country, we need everything, especially specialists in the field of medicine and education, - believes Adela Raz.

We present to the attention of our readers a documentary film about the struggle of Afghan women for their rights, part of the material for which our correspondent Grigory Bedenko filmed during a business trip to Kabul. Operator Eduard Galeev.

Strana media team commissioned by the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy.