As an Afghan girl I know that women face many problems and challenges in Afghanistan. Some important issues are: limited healthcare, current conflict and insecurity, poor economy, corruption, violence against women, illiteracy, lack of law enforcement, patriarchy, under-representation in government, and other related problems. However, we can and must solve these problems. I believe that we must begin our work by changing the culture. As Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world”. Since the cultural standards in Afghanistan are centered on patriarchy, then the cultural standards need to be changed. Article 22 of the Afghanistan constitution forbids any kind of discrimination. According to Afghan law, men and women have equal rights. Also, we have Sharia Law, which also talks about equal rights for both men and women. But, since we live in a patriarchal system, men have the power to interpret Sharia Law and the Afghan constitution according to their own beliefs. If we can change the culture, which is a slow movement, we can change the patriarchal system. I think we should start through the power and influence of education. We start by educating boys and girls early about equal rights both at home and their schools. We must have men to be supporters of women. Both men and women doctors, educators, community and tribal leaders, Imams, and other government and non-government leaders must support the rights of girls and women. Both men and women must be shining examples and “be the change they want to see in the world.” We need a vision for Afghanistan that requires all of our efforts. One of the most important assets we now have for empowering women is social media. We can see the world and the world sees us. Technology will be our picture window to education and cultural change. We have problems with essential utilities, like electricity and other necessary basic living requirements. Yet, changes will come because our culture will change. I have learned critical thinking from being a student at the School of Leadership, Afghanistan and Emma Willard School. I have learned in school about the problems we have to deal with in Afghanistan. But, my personal experiences as a teenage Afghan girl have given me what it feels like to have no power or voice. I have watched my mother, a widow, try to cope with her lack of equal rights every day, and my heart breaks for her. Living in Afghanistan without a man in the house is a very problematic thing to do. I have seen that society does not fully protect and support widows as they should. Because of the insecurity in Afghanistan, my family became refugees and had an awful experience. We were lucky to have returned home to Afghanistan and I was lucky to get accepted to an incredibly great school that empowers girl around the globe. I am happy to be an Afghan girl who wants to make changes for all Afghan girls and women. I believe that in order to change the lives of women, we have to first change the culture, and in turn change the patriarchal system. We can do that by empowering girls and educating them about their rights.
Comments