On the occasion of International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women and the distribution of the new Armanshahr publication “Justice for Women in War and Peace”:
Armanshahr Foundation*, in collaboration with French Institute of Afghanistan is pleased to invite you to its 98th (year VII) public debate GOFTEGU.
Political Violence against Women in War and Peace
Speakers: Ms. Masouda Karokhi (Parliamentarian), Professor Reza Hosseini (Specialised in Women’s affairs), Ms. Latifa Soltani (Coordinator of Women’s rights at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission)
Moderator: Jawad Darwaziyan
*Member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Jeudi/Thursday 15 nov. 2012, 14:00 H. (Debate in Dari), French Institute of Afghanistan (Lycée Esteqlal), Tel: 0779217755 & 0775321697, E-mail: armanshahrfoundation.openasia@gmail.com
Women, the principal war and post-war victims
The 75th Goftegu public meeting – a bridge between the elite and the citizens – of Armanshahr Foundation was dedicated to “Women and Justice” and it was held in Herat on 30th April 2011. The aim of the meeting was to familiarise the civil society institutions of Herat with the work and programmes of Armanshahr Foundation on the one hand, and to present “Justice for Women, in War and Peace”, a new title published by Armanshahr Foundation.
Moderator of the meeting, Mr. Rooholamin Amini, the Foundation’s publications director of and its office director in Herat provided an outline of Armanshahr Foundation’s work. A human rights organisation concerned also with transitional justice, Armanshahr has published more than 50 titles with print run of more than 50,000. Armanshahr opened its office in Herat in 2010. Since then, it has organised 13 Goftegu meetings in the city.
The speaker, Jawad Darwaiyan, subsequently presented the topics discussed in the book, focusing on women and war. He gave a brief outline of the various conventions concerning the protection of women, e.g. the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, Convention on the Protection of All Persons against Enforced Disappearances, UN Declaration for Protection of Women and Children, Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Excerpts from his presentation:
Wars are the result of conflicts of interests of groups. There are three groups in every situation: proponents, passive opponents and active opponents. Violence is the result of reactions of the first and third groups. There are two kinds of practical approaches in different societies and cultures. Some people engage in war, massacre, rape and other types of violence. Others employ peaceful, non-violent means.
We have experienced war and violence. There are two groups on the field: the military and the civilians. Evidently, the defenceless people suffer the most. Men are either on the battlefield, detained or on the run. Women are obliged to protect the children, the old and the household. As a result, the principal victims are women, children and the old. On the other hand, many wars are caused by political, ethnic, religious conflicts or injustice. Women, like men, are either involved in groups or cooperate with them. Hence, they receive a similar treatment. It may be summed up that women are the principal victims of every type of war.
Women are also the principal victims in the truth seeking process. They are deprived of reparations. If they tell of their sufferings, they may be rejected by the family or the community and lose their husband. They are therefore forced to keep their experience to themselves. Thus, they are deprived of compensation, psychological care or other facilities.
Some academics are of the opinion that Afghanistan has experienced wars for many centuries. The wars of the second half of the 20th century were rooted in the massacres of Abdulrahman Khan. After monarchy, the republic under Davood Khan did bring privileges for women, but there were still discriminations, killings and violence against women as well as the whole population. Although the era of the People’s Democratic Party was the best period for women, many women, as well as men, were uprooted and tortured. Thus, that era was given the epithet of ‘state terrorism.’ Under the Mujahedin and the Taliban, women experienced the most savage war crimes and crimes against humanity.
There is an attitude toward the women rooted in religion, economy and tradition. The religious attitude, or its dominant version, does not allow women to leave the home. Their duty is to give birth to children and to raise them. Women have no share in the economy. Most families view women and girls as burden. Women belong to others and should go as soon as possible. Under the tribal attitude, women who leave the house bring discredit and dishonour. They could lose their lives when they return.
Darwaziyan summed up by asking: Would we have this history and narrative, if women had written the history of the world and Afghanistan?
Then, there was a free discussion. Mr. Yaghoub Mashouf said: Western women fought 400 years to achieve freedom and equality with men. In our country, the intellectuals who once defended women’s rights violated human rights and women’s rights later so much that when the Taliban took over the latter’s atrocities were forgotten. In our countries, individuals used ideas as their tools to do whatever they wished.
Ms. Sakineh Hosseini, a member of the Provincial Council, said: Islam is the first religion that has given freedom to women. There are inequalities between the civil servants. If I and a male representative go to government departments to pursue the problems of our constituencies, the male representative receives respect and his request is fulfilled. I receive a different treatment and my request is ignored. A male representative has four bodyguards, but I as a woman do not have even one bodyguard.
Mr. Rahimi, director of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in Herat, said: Violence in Afghanistan is caused by absence of social security. If somebody lacks violence, they will be oppressed. People who had to employ violence to obtain their rights, later used violence against others. Violence has always been enforced by men not by women. Our history is a male history. Women are not present in our history. We do not have a good past. The Communists made it worse, because they forced women out of the homes and prompted people’s resistance. The war at Salimi district of Herat was prompted by the literacy campaign. Our religious beliefs do not occasionally allow equal rights for men and women. Those rights should be equal when our religious beliefs allow it. There may be girls’ schools at provincial capitals now, but as soon as we leave the centre, there are no girls’ schools. It is the government’s responsibility to set them up. A large number of women who live in the countryside are deprived of facilities.
We should create a calmer society. On the other hand, we should prepare the ground for the participation of women and make sure that they are safe when they work outside at night. We should have an active judiciary, dedicated police, implement the laws etc. We can then talk about women’s participation.
Mr. Amini, the moderator, responded to Mr. Rahimi: What is the difference between your opinion and that of the Taliban? It is exactly a question of women and justice. If we seek justice, it does not mean that men and women must have equal shares in everything right now. We may expect that, but it will not be realised soon. When it comes to war, violence and impunity, men are the perpetrators. When it comes to paying the price, women have to pay it. The first solution would be to demand gender justice.
Mr. Rahimi retorted: It is true that the Taliban also had the same idea. However, I believe that security should be provided for women not to keep women at home until security is improved. Take the example of children. When a woman has a small child, she has to breastfeed her every six hours. Is that possible in the office? A woman in that condition would sacrifice her child if she goes to work.
Mr. Sarab, a poet and student of Herat University, asked a question to Ms. Sakineh Hosseini: Which do you defend, justice or Islamic ideology? Even the religious intellectuals, who offer the most modern interpretation of Islam, are of the opinion that Islam is a patriarchal religion. You may accept that as a religious person. The issue of women’s freedom however is a new phenomenon of our time. There is a gross difference with religious beliefs. This is the confusion that women activists are facing. Women have always lived for men not for themselves. There is one point that the people operating in various fields have not realised and that is: Women are the second sex.
Ms. Hosseini responded by referring to the history of Islam and religious teachings and the killing of women before the emergence of the prophet.
Mr. Khatibi referred to the shariah and its teachings, saying: If we were to take the shariah as the criterion, this is all there is for women. However, there is a great difference if we were to look at the civil society and civility.
Invitation for 75th Goftegu Public Debate: Justice for Women in War and Peace
