What if You Could Help Women in Afghanistan?

Photo © Muzafar Ali

I don’t have time to write a beautiful, well-written tapestry of words.

The women and girls of Afghanistan need our help. It’s not going to come from their own country anytime soon.

Since the Taliban seized power back in 2021, I, like many others around the world, have watched on in horror as the rights of women and girls living there have rapidly worsened. Afghanistan, already in a bad position economically, underwent a disastrous flood and earthquake. And a man-made human rights disaster has rapidly unfolded.

As many have noted in the media, the latest developments include women not being able to speak or be seen in public. Women are no longer able to work or learn. There has now been a ban on women learning nursing and midwifery. Even the realm of birth, traditionally and logically that of women, is now not something women are able to assist each other with.

The penalties for violating these laws are often physical: beatings or death. Imagine not being able to leave your home alone upon penalty of death. Imagine being underage and sold to a wealthier family as a wife or servant. These are the fears Afghani women and girls are now living with daily.

Since American forces withdrew in 2021, women’s educational programs have been banned completely, and in a new, sinister twist, women are now banned from even speaking to NGOs (non-profit and non-governmental organizations, which include charities, the UN, etc).

I investigated how to help.

Like many around the world, I found myself horrified and wondered if there was anything I could do to help. There are many charities out there, but it’s sometimes difficult to know where one’s money is going. I wanted to ensure I’d be using the right channels to directly assist women and girls in need. In my research, I came across an article written by Dr Farkhondeh Akbari, an Afghani-Australian Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Monash University. Her expertise centres on diplomatic actors and peace settlement negotiations with non-state armed groups.

Woven Strength

Dr Akbari’s last visit to Afghanistan was in 2020, a year before American forces withdrew, and she completed her PhD research on peace negotiation. As an Afghani expat, one who works with many other Afghani women in Australia on improving conditions overseas, she is well-placed to understand the situation there.

I contacted Dr Akbari and she told me of her work with Woven Strength, an initiative of The Organization for Development Solutions (ODS): “As a researcher, writing books and journal articles, and appearing in the media and prestigious platforms to discuss the situation of women in Afghanistan, this simple, practical work through this small, practical initiative is giving me the most satisfaction.”

ODS/Woven Strength, since the Taliban’s ban on NGO assistance, is a now-underground initiative that teaches women basic literacy and employment skills. It particularly centres on rug weaving, a cultural tradition in Afghanistan. You can purchase a rug here*. *Edit - you used to be able to. I fear this has now been shut down and am waiting on more information. I will write a follow up when I find out if it’s still up and running.

The stories of the girls included in the Woven Strength info pack, which I encourage you to read, are sobering and inspiring.

I am Habiba. I am from Bamiyan, now living in Kabul. I used to be in 9th grade. We are a family of 10. I have been weaving since I was seven. I had to sit on a cushion to reach the loom frame to weave.

My brother and I provide for the family. He is welding but lost one of his eyesight and I am weaving rugs. We are in-debt just for food, rent and bills after trying to pay for my brother’s doctors to fix his eyesight.

We are now half-alive half-dead with our financial circumstances.

I always wanted to be a doctor. But in my current realistic circumstances, I would like to be a tailor at least. But I cannot spare time from weaving to afford and learn how to sew. Since the Taliban took power, I have also stopped thinking about my studies. There is no point. By the time they leave or their rule end, I might be old to return to study. Weaving is all my life now. Whoever buy our rug, please buy them in a good price that can pay off our hard work. I have spent all hours of my youthful days weaving the rug, please buy them so we can have more work.

I feel secure here working with other girls and women. We all don’t know much about each other, but we all weave rug and have pain.

Woven Strength initially ran rug weaving classes, literary courses and other initiatives, but they were shut down and have now had to go deep underground.

A day after the Taliban announced a new edict banning women from working for NGOs, a member of the Taliban authorities knocked on the door and warned that the Centre should close. We were forced to close in a rush. The scene when the girls left the Centre in tears marked one of our most difficult moments, full of grief, hopelessness and helplessness.

At ODS we knew we could not give up on women and girls by abiding by the brutal Taliban rule that enforces gender apartheid. We felt obligated and responsible for the women and girls whose hope we have revived through our work. Over two months, we re-strategized and worked out how to operate in such restrictive circumstances.

Even through such dark times, initiatives like Woven Strength have given girls and women hope for change in the future.

What can we do?

This is a direct plea for help, there’s no disguising it. Donate to ODS. Donate to Women for Women International, they even have a sponsorship initiative. Donate to or get involved with the Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund (their focus is on education). Donate to the Malala Fund, which has launched an Afghanistan Initiative this year. There is a new movie about Afghani women titled ‘Bread and Roses’ out on Apple TV I’d encourage you to watch and share, produced by Malala Yousafzai, Jennifer Lawrence (yes, that one), and directed by Sahra Mani.

Afghan women need help, and given the world we live in, financially is often the best way. If you are unable to help financially, I urge you to share this information with others in your network who may be able to contribute financially, or if you are involved with a church, mosque, school, workplace or any other organization that has a charity initiative, it may be possible to band your community together to collectively give.

These women may not get out of this situation themselves without it costing them their lives. Travel and personal autonomy are banned. These women are essentially seen as property. They are often destitute. Still, they live, and as long as they do, we are able to help.

As global citizens in positions of (relative) comfort, we cannot and should not abandon our human family across the globe just because it’s difficult to think about, or because it’s not affecting us directly. As I said before, and I don’t think this is hyperbole, this is a human rights disaster. Idly standing by is not helpful or kind when there is work to be done, and help is sorely needed.