Afghan women protest against violations of rights, removal from government institutions

A group of Afghan women protested in Kabul against the Taliban for the violations of their rights and the removal of women from government institutions.

The group protested on Thursday (9) under the banner of Female Civil Service Employment of Afghanistan and urged the Taliban to allow women to return to work, reported Tolo News.

They also said that despite officials in the caretaker government stating repeatedly that they will decide whether or not women will continue to work in government institutions, their fate is still unclear.

"In addition to not being asked to work, female employees whose jobs have been downsized or replaced--given the presence of male positions have no hope of being paid their salaries," said Samira Azami, a civil service employee.

According to these women, they have been unable to work for 10 months and are facing a wide range of problems.

"We want to get back to work by preserving our religious rights," said Fayeqa, a civil service employee.

Protesters also demanded that schools for girls above the sixth grade in the country be reopened, reported Tolo News.

"Our demand is that schools be opened for our daughters; otherwise, we will have to send our girls overseas," said Nadira Rashidi, head of the Female Civil Service Employment of Afghanistan Association.

Most female workers in government institutions have been denied access to work since the Taliban assumed control of the country last August, and a number of them have been fired.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has suspended secondary education for girls and enforced a strict form of Hijab.

They have also provided no opportunities for Afghan women to participate in political and public life, to fit the pattern of absolute gender segregation that is aimed at making women invisible in society.

The atrocities of the Taliban against Afghan women have been on an incessant surge since the organization seized power in Afghanistan in August last year, banning young girls and women of humanitarian rights.

(ANI)