On Mothers’ Day in Afghanistan, women call for rights

KABUL (TOLOnews): On Mother’s Day in Afghanistan, women in Afghanistan expressed their concerns about the fact that their fundamental rights are not being met.
They noted that women are now denied the opportunity to pursue an education and employment, and that this has led to greater financial difficulties for families.
Shakila, a mother of five, explained the difficulties she is currently facing.
“I sell fruits or vegetables because I do not have a breadwinner, I am a widow. I have to pay for the house. Everything is on me,” Shakila, a mother, noted.
“We have mostly widows who are the guardians of their children. We hope that the government of the Islamic Emirate will pay attention and allow them to have all the rights they have as girls of this land,” said Tafsir Siaposh, a women’s rights activist.
The absence of women in society and the ban on their employment, according to mothers who spoke to TOLOnews, has left the majority of families struggling economically.
“Sadly, mothers are really concerned about their daughters’ lack of access to an education in this situation. They don’t even consider that today is their day. Because they are worried about their children’s future, they could not celebrate it today,” said Parwin Sufi, a mother.
“The women who were educated and had jobs now are depressed because they have studied for 14 to 16 years, and they are still staying at home,” Noor Jan Ziaee, a mother told TOLOnews.
However, Mother’s Day in Afghanistan, which is observed on this day, can be seen in the thriving flower market and the congratulations messages on social media.
“It’s Mothers’ Day, people come in, they buy flowers for their mothers, and the sales are good,” said Abdul Waheed, a seller.
“Youth should make every effort to have good behavior with their parents. Mothers don’t expect their children to do anything more than this,” said Shir Mohammad, a buyer.
The Islamic Emirate has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to upholding women’s rights within the framework of Islamic Sharia and said that under the right circumstances it will let women work and pursue education.