Panel Discusses Role of Afghanistan Women When Taliban Falls

Women’s issues and perspectives have been neglected in the planning for the future of Afghanistan, a panel of international activists and experts told an audience yesterday at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG).

Panelist Rina Amiri, the senior associate for research and outreach at the KSG’s Women and Public Policy Program, explained that she felt a “sense of victory” upon learning that women in Afghanistan were taking their veils off. Yet, she still fears that Taliban-style discrimination against women might return, and warned that more traditional factions within the northern alliance could “shut women out of power.”

The panel discussion was part of the third annual Women Waging Peace Colloquium, which ends today. Women Waging Peace is a multiyear global initiative of the Women and Public Policy Program at KSG.The event brings together women activists from all over the world for two weeks of seminars and discussions.

Yesterday’s panel focused on the need for women to be included in a new Afghan government. The panelists also included Ambassador Swanee Hunt, the chair of Women Waging Peace, Rita Manchanda, a human rights activist from India; and Owais Aslam Ali, the chairman of Pakistan Press International.

The director of Refugee Relief and Education, who gave her name only as Jamilia, phoned in from a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan to participate in the discussion. She said that women’s problems in Afghanistan have been ignored both inside and outside that counry.

“No one helped the woman...[we] cannot trust anyone,” she said.

Yet Amiri explained that with the weakening of Taliban power, she sees a “changing role for women” in Afghan society.

“We’re not weak, we’re not powerless,” Amiri said.

“Women are not victims, but able to survive and maintain families,” Manchada said. “Women are there but leadership has to create that space for women.”

All of the panelists expressed ambivalence about the U.S. military action in Afghanistan--in the long run, it might allow for a more open Afghan government, they said, but in the short run, women civilians have been killed.

The panelists agreed that the international community has to be involved in creating peace and stability. Sanam Anderlini, on the Policy Commision committee of Women Waging Peace, emphasized that the international community “has to be there to be able to nurture and develop a democracy.”

Jim Trengrove, senior producer of the Capital Hill Unit at the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, moderated the event. He emphasized that role of the media is crucial in addressing the role of women. Senior Producer of ABC News 20/20, Roberta Baskin agreed, adding that people should “take [their] voice seriously” and inform the media to address such issues.