BAHARİN LEHİB

Kabul- After taking the control of Afghanistan last year in August, the Taliban have tried to exclude women and girls from all spheres of life by ignoring them while Afghan women continue to raise their voices against the oppressive policies of the Taliban. Yesterday, Afghan women took to the streets of Kabul to protest against the suicide bombing of the Kaaj educational centre in Dasht-e-Barchi, which killed 35 young Hazara women and girls on Friday.

“We are against all forms of attacks”

The protesters recalled that the Taliban and ISIS have often carried out attacks on hospitals, schools, educational facilities, buses, and public places. Emphasizing that the last attack was not a normal attack aiming to provoke clashes among ethnic groups, the protesters said that they are against all forms of attacks. The protesters carried a banner reading, “I am also a Hazaran woman. I will take my sisters’ revenge.”

“We will unite stronger than before”

Sudaba Amiri, one of the protesters, said, “We are here today to show the killers of our children that we share the pain of the Hazaras. All we are Afghans and we have a common pain. Whenever we are attacked, we will unite stronger than before.”

In response to the Taliban's violent crackdown on a women’s rights demonstration, Alison Davidian, UN Women Representative in Afghanistan, posted a tweet. She wrote:

“What we see on the streets of Afghanistan are fearless women not giving up, resisting against the status quo. Wherever you are, stand with Afghan women, elevate their voices.

Their fight is our global fight. For equality. For dignity. For living lives of our choosing.”