The Unheard Voices of Afghanistan

February 2011

The Unheard voices of Afghanistan

My view of Afghanistan from the inside

Surprises!!

1. Treatment of women, and the societal acceptance of their subservience

2. Pop culture on telly replicating western telly crazes

3. Voices of young people who hold out unwavering hope for their country

Interview with ‘Salma’ 8.2.11 Mazaar-E-Sharif

Translater Zahara Qadir

Salma was born 35 years ago in a village close to the Iranian border into a liberal, educated family, she remembers being happy when she was a child, because Afghanistan (Afg) was peaceful, she sees her happiness as dipping along-side the political stability of the country.

She remembers being free in her parents’ house. Salma was the oldest daughter of 9, she recounts that her whole family were refugees in Iran during the Soviet times, and one of her brothers was killed as they crossed the border at age 14, being the eldest daughter, Salma was married to a local boy at 14. She says that she didn’t want to get married, she wanted to continue studying, she was top of her class when she stopped going to school and became a wife and mother. She is illiterate but she possesses a natural eloquence in her speech, she likens herself to an apple tree that hasn’t had enough water, the water in this case being education.

She remembers there being no opportunities in Afg in 2005- no fuel, no transport, no employment , but the situation is getting better.

She says that she dreams of studying and being in control of her life, and she wanted to be an activist who would fight for freedom and women’s rights. She explains that freedom is happiness and culture ‘All humans should be free’; ‘there should be a difference between humans and animals’.

Life became hard when she got married, she came from an educated liberal family, but her husband was from the land, she says she ‘felt like a fish who was left out of water, and was suffocating’ She lived in despair.

She said when she started to have children, she worried about their futures ‘theres no point in having children if you can’t offer them anything’. She kept getting pregnant, she didn’t want to have more children but had no means of controlling her fertility.

She has 8 children, 7 boys and 1 girl, they are all progressing in their lives, and they have enough food. She reflects that she worked really hard to ensure that they had enough food. Her daughter goes to school and was given an opportunity to go to Italy over her brothers. ‘ Now my dream is to watch them to be educated’. She says she is happy that she has not got pregnant again for 7 years, she is using a coil, and acknowledges that despite her husband’s different background he is open to learning, and is supportive with her using contraception

Salma says she ‘loves people who understand humanity, who understand the value of respecting others’ lives’. She feels respected by her family and those around her.

Dreams;

For self and family-That her children will be educated, free thinking, open-minded and learn to respect humanity; she says she wants her sons to travel, and invite interesting people (like us) to Afghanistan.

For Afghanistan- Tailban out, women educated, peace and freedom for all

What does she think about women in Afg?

· Womens’ problems are related to political problems

· Whats limiting women is the insecurity in Afg

· If there was peace women would be able to progress

Today Salma says that her life is good, she asks me what I think of her life, what to say? I think she is gifted and feel frustrated at how restricted her life is, but don’t feel it is helpful to say that, so I say that I cannot judge her life as I am on the outside, but I like her children.

I thank her for sharing her story with me, and she responds by thanking me and saying

‘my heart feels lighter for telling my story’

“Khosh bakt Salma” I whisper to her as she kisses my hands, the ultimate sign of respect in Afg culture.

Salma is lucky, she has a brother who is very supportive of her quest to become literate, and she will one day be able to attend adult education classes.

She is right girls’ education correlates with a nations’ development, SAGE (Strategic Alliances for Girls’ Education) list multiple reasons why the education of girls is important;

· A reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates

· Contributes to social development

· Women will have smaller families and support the education of their children

· Increases economic productivity and stability by increasing the income of the poor

· Promotes civil and international peace, as well as cultural tolerance

· Social equity

“With education girls can reach higher goals”

(SAGE)