Global Voices » Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Women's Voices Raised to Poetry

Juliana Rincón Parra — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:54:39 +0000

Through twitter, Al Jazeera shares the video story of a group of Afghan women who are using poetry as a way to empower themselves and reclaim their voice.

Afghanistan: How to Use an Afghan Box Camera

Juliana Rincón Parra — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:25:52 +0000

The Presurfer shares a small video documentary of one of the only two remaining Afghan box photographers left in Kabul, and how he takes pictures and processes them inside a small black box.

Afghanistan: Citizens March to Protest against Karzai’s Neglect

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:58:30 +0000

Basir Ahang from the Afghan PenLog blog tells about a a demonstration of hundreds of the Bamiyan region residents, who rallied against injustice and discrimination in their province.

Afghanistan: ICG skeptical about peace talks

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:33:26 +0000

According to a report from the International Crisis Group, current talks with the Taliban are unlikely to result in a sustainable peace, but could even lead to further destabilisation of the country, Nick Fielding says.

Afghanistan: Pay up or go to Hell, says Taliban financial offer

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:27:36 +0000

Nick Fielding writes that funds appear to be getting tight for the Taliban, whose Financial Commission has issued a plea for funds on the organisation's website - backed by the threat of Hellfire.

Video: Mothers Around the World Share Their Different Experiences

Juliana Rincón Parra — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:04:26 +0000

In the International Museum of Women, the current online exhibit is all about mothers. MAMA: Motherhood around the Globe explores the different aspects of motherhood through video interviews to women in Nigeria, Kenya, Afghanistan, USA, Colombia, Hungary, China and Norway.

Lusina from Kenya is one of the interviewed mothers for IMOW

Mama to Be is the section on the expectations around motherhood and pregnancy, and how the different women, some not even out of their teens reacted and faced their impending motherhood.

How many women in the world actually have an opportunity to decide if, how, and when to create a family? What are the reasons that women today are choosing – or refusing to choose – motherhood?

In Healthy Mama, Healthy Baby, the stories these women share on their birthing experiences serve to illustrate how different cultures view birthing and health.

Every day, thousands of women worldwide give birth to new human life. While many of these women will have happy and successful deliveries, hundreds will die in childbirth. How do things like geography, income, and age affect your chances of a safe delivery? What is being done to improve upon the world’s maternal mortality rate, and how can you get involved?

In the Featured Voices section, stories were submitted by the audience and six stories were selected by an international jury for the Community Choice Awards. One of them is this excerpt of the hard situation in the Colombian hospital maternity wards by Jorge Caballero for Gusano Films.

In Birth Journal Maternity Excerpt, a mother of six arrives to a checkup and then to deliver a baby. During the checkup, her story comes out through the questions asked by the doctor, and his attitude towards her changes, ending up with a suggestion for a tubal ligation and a curt farewell. During delivery, there isn't even time to move the lone woman to the gurney and into the maternity room, she gives birth on her hospital bed.

One-on-one interviews in Meet the Mamas focus the conversations around the woman and her personal story, for example, it helps contrast the different situations between a teen mother in Liberia, living what she calls in Critical Condition, and a teen mother in the United States, who through family support is able to move on ahead and continue her studies.

This exhibit in the International Museum of Women aims to get more people informed on the state of Women's Maternal Health, on their Get Involved page they suggest different ways in which readers can participate in improving the statistics and raise awareness themselves on these important issues.

Iran: Turning a Page on Racism Against Afghans

Fred Petrossian — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:01:33 +0000

Several bloggers expressed their disgust at learning that Afghans living in Isfahan, Iran were banned from a park by the authorities on April 1, 2012, the 13th day of Nowruz New Year celebrations. It is customary to mark this day by spending the day outdoors picnicking.

Although an official in Isfahan denied [fa] that Afghans had been targeted, a Facebook event was created to encourage Iranians to fight racism. The logo on the page says, “We are all Afghans”. Nearly 4000 people supported the campaign.

Aside from many legal Afghan immigrants and refugees, over one million undocumented Afghan refugees currently live in Iran, according to some reports.

Iranian blogger Sepid and Siah (meaning White and Black) says [fa]:

My Afghan brother and sister I am ashamed. I am ashamed that my country where you took refuge, is not a good host to you… But what can I expect from some people within establishment who try to humiliate you for years, they have already humiliated Iranians. But I am ashamed that my own people do not understand you.

Khorshidneshan writes [fa]:

Racism is one of the characteristics of Iranians. The problem is not only the Islamic Republic and a stupid official in Isfahan who orders to ban Afghans from gathering in park. The problem comes from us, [Iranian] people because we support it and do not protest… The discrimination against them is not a new thing. It is very difficult or impossible for Afghans to get an Iranian identity card even after living for long years in the country or marrying an Iranian.

Shahin Shar blog says [fa] let's end racism against Afghans today in Iran. The blogger has published several photos showing, in one case, how Afghans are banned from a swimming pool.

Because of the heavy censorship in Iran may we never know what really happened that day in the park. Meanwhile we can be sure that many Iranians know there is persistant discrimination against Afghans, and they wish to turn a page.

Afghanistan: Investigation into Uruzgan incident complete

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:32:56 +0000

Nick Fielding writes that investigation into the February 2010 tragedy, when 23 Afghans travelling in three vehicles in Uruzgan province were attacked and killed by US helicopters, is over.

Afghanistan: RAWA, a Female Taliban

Adil Nurmakov — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:05:57 +0000

Mohammad Amin Wahidi writes about a women group called RAWA in Afghanistan that is reportedly miusing the funds of international donors, while operating as the Taliban's aide in promotion of fundamentalism and ethnic discrimination.

Afghanistan: Sunday’s massacre

Adil Nurmakov — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:10:18 +0000

Joshua Foust reviews media reactions and provides his own comments regarding the massacre on Sunday of 16 innocent Afghans — 9 of them children.

Afghanistan: US army missing well-equipped SUVs

Adil Nurmakov — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:02:04 +0000

Nick Fielding digged out an amazing story about the US Army offering a $10,000 reward for any information as to the whereabouts of two SUVs equipped with classified technology used to jam roadside bombs that had been stolen from a military base in Kabul.

Afghanistan: Useful database of Afghan personalities

Adil Nurmakov — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:54:44 +0000

Nick Fielding writes that the most complete database of prominent Afghans and Afghan political groupings can be found on a site called Who is Who in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Internal displacement risingInternal displacement rising in Afghanistan Internal displacement rising in Afghanistan Internal displacement rising in Afghanistan

Adil Nurmakov — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:52:44 +0000

Nick Fielding says more than 100,000 forced to leave their homes between January and June last year due to the spreading conflict in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Do not kill each other

Fred Petrossian — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:58:44 +0000

Goftman Roshnayi says[fa] “burning Quran has become another pretext to kill each other in Afghanistan…When Talibans explode bombs, kill people and burn Qurans, nobody cares.” Five killed as protests over Quran burning rage in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Civilian conflict deaths continue to rise

Adil Nurmakov — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:34:55 +0000

Nick Fielding reports that, according to figures from the United Nations - in contrast to the figures issued by the US military - the number of Afghan civilians killed and injured rose for the fifth consecutive year in a row.