Afghanistan Widows

Since 1978, Afghanis have lived under a series of different regimes that denied its citizens fundamental human rights. The Russian-backed military government of 1978, persecuted thousands of intellectuals in their attempt to suppress political opposition. However, such tactics failed, and in 1979, the Russians were invited by the leader of the party in government, Babrak Kamal, to suppress the rebellion. Thus began a dark period of civil strife against the Russian use of military power, and the development of fundamentalist groups such as the Mujahideen, who were supported by a number of western countries. Although women were allowed to work and had full access to education, may women were opposed to the Russian regime and its puppet government and demanded greater emancipation.
During this period RAWA (Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan) an anti-fundamentalist organisation demonstrated against the Russian regime and were directly involved in the war of resistance. While the absolute majority of the anti-Soviets were in the form of Islamic fundamentalist freedom fighters, RAWA advocated democracy and secularism from the outset http://www.rawa.org/rawa.html )

The fundamentalists assumed power when the Russians withdrew in 1989. The departure of the Russians marked the beginning of the sharp decline in women’s socio-economic status – women became the targets in the drive for Islamic purity. The Jehadics (fundamentalists), and later the Taliban, proclaimed that education and jobs for women were contrary to Islam. In Kabul, thousands of women became widows when their husbands were killed by the Jehadics simply because they lived in Kabul. Widows in Kabul now sell their daughters to support their families - these daughters are sought-after as Kabuli girls are cheaper than those in the countryside and villages. Many young widows have resorted to prostitution given that they have no other means of supporting their families. Without access to health services and owing to the secrecy of their activities, many of these women have contracted sexually transmissible diseases including HIV/AIDS.

Between 1999-2000 RAWA conducted a series of in-depth interviews with women and beggars in Kabul and with refugees in Iran and in Peshawar, Pakistan. It is impossible to describe the despondency and suffering of the widows of Afghanistan. It can be partially understood by reading some of the selections below:

Roaghul, a 47 year old widow in Kabul:

In the past, I worked as a teacher and lost my husband at the time of Najib (Russian period) when he was recruited as a soldier and sent to the front. He never came back. Three years later I met a woman whose husband was taken by force for military service. Her husband informed me about the death of my husband and some others in a bomb explosion.

I have studied until twelfth class and worked as a teacher in one of the primary schools. After the death of my husband, in spite of having small children, life looked meaningless and useless to me. With the coming of the Jehadics, schools were closed in Kabul. I know a little bit of tailoring but Taliban did not give me permission to open a shop. In the area where I am living, there is hardly anyone who can afford to make new clothes by giving them to a tailor. My problems cannot be summed up in one or two words. Grief, hunger homelessness, unemployment and many other problems, I suffer from very much.

While crying she said, "My eldest son is twelve years old. He is working as a shop boy with a shoemaker. He works without a salary but gets food once a day. He does not eat the bread and brings it home. My daughter is eleven years old. She does not work anywhere, as there is no job for her. My other daughter is ten years old. She does not work too. My youngest son is nine years old. He does hawking by selling tiny items and earns daily, four to five thousand Afghanis. I get 120,000 Afghani per month and that is equivalent to the price of seven kilos of flour.

It will be heaven for us if we could get food once a day. I have nothing to wish for, more than that.

Begum, a 30-year old beggar/refugee in Peshawar, Pakistan

My name is Begum Nisar. I am 30-years old. I have two daughters and three sons, my elder son is living in Iran. I came here [Peshawar] two months ago because of intense fighting. My husband was killed there and I left his dead body there. I live in a new camp in Peshawar, most of the residents are newcomers. They are very poor. I beg from 9 o’clock in the morning till dusk and earn 30 to 40 rupees daily. Apart from that, I collect rotten vegetables and unsold pieces of meat. My two children pick rags which we use as fuel for cooking. I am shy to beg but what can I do? I have to feed my children. I carry with me a 5-month old baby. I get tired because I have to move constantly.

Excerpts from "Marginalised Women: Documentation of Refugee Women and Women in Situations of Armed Conflict" [May, 2000] published by the Gender and Development Programme (GAD) of the Asia-Pacific Development Corporation (APDC). Photograph of Kabul widows courtesy of RAWA from www.rawa.org .