Women's rights activists call hunger strike amid global neglect of Afghan women

Sep 04, 2023

Kabul [Afghanistan], September 4 : Women rights activists along with other women have called for a hunger strike to highlight the issues of global neglect of Afghan women and gender apartheid, reported Khaama Press. 
Tamana Zaryab Paryani, an activist for women’s rights called on the hunger strike along with several other women. 
They kept on highlighting their commitment by continuing the hunger strike even after being unwell on the fourth day of the strike. 
On the fourth day of the strike, Paryani said in an interview with Khaama Press News Agency that the world has been unsuccessful in defending women’s rights in Afghanistan. While women are fighting and sacrificing for their freedoms, the world has engaged with the interim administration, reported Khaama Press. 
Paryani is a former detainee of the Taliban administration and was imprisoned under their rule. 
While explaining the reason behind their strike, she said, “We demand justice due to increased travel, Taliban’s international outreach, funds sent to Afghanistan, and the neglect of gender rights despite ongoing oppression.”
According to Khaama Press, if the German government and the global community do not pay attention to their demand regarding the worsening situation of Afghan women, this strike will continue for another eight days, until September 12.
Paryani and the other women on the hunger strike are not feeling well on the fourth day of the hunger strike, reported Khaama Press. 
The ongoing situation in Afghanistan, especially for women is described as 'horrifying'. They stressed that remaining silent in such situations is shameful.   
According to her, the institutions expected to raise their voices have not yet paid attention to their demands, according to Khaama Press. 
Paryani said that the fundamental rights of people, especially women's rights are violated without any shame. 
She further urged other Afghan women to not stay silent when it comes to human rights abuses happening under the Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
She added that the silence in these situations shows society's human and moral decline. 
Other women’s rights activists have welcomed Paryani’s protest and are demanding its expansion within and outside Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. 
Taranum Saeedi, a women’s rights activist in Afghanistan, also supports Paryani’s protest and said that these protests will continue until September 12 in Germany and various other countries.
She further urged the German government to extend support and said that the women have faced significant deprivation in the past two years and have been systematically excluded from society.
Since the last two years and the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, women have been suffering from various deprivations, including bans on education, work, and political and social activities in the country. 
According to Khaama Press, Paryani along with other women's rights activists urged the international community to recognize "gender apartheid" in Afghanistan. 
Gender apartheid was first used by the head of Afghanistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations to highlight the depth of anti-women practices in Afghanistan.