In Like Manner…the Women E li z a b eth D . R ios
Two Afghanistans One often reads in the news of how Americans are tired of our country’s ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan. For us this war, far removed from our daily life, is only a decade old, but for the Afghan people, who have endured being at the center of armed conflict for over 30 years, the violence feels eternal.The women of Afghanistan, in particular, carry a tremendous burden — sharia law compounded by war compounded by poverty. In recent years, encouraged by news of increased educational opportunities for girls and other apparent changes, the outside world has trained expectant eyes on the country. Women for Women International is a nonprofit organization that helps female survivors of war rebuild their lives. Founded in 1993, Women for Women helps women in war-torn regions transform their lives by providing financial and emotional support, rights awareness, leadership education, and job skills training. The goal is for women to become confident, independent, and productive as they rebuild their families, communities, and ultimately their nations. With offices in Washington, DC, and the UK, Women for Women has served more than 20,000 Afghan women in 16 communities since 2002. They’ve distributed approximately $12.2 million in small loans to 51,000 women (at a repayment rate of 98.9 percent), and 5,000 women have been taught to read and write in a land where 85 percent of women have no formal education and nearly 79 percent of women are illiterate. But life for women in Afghanistan remains dangerous and fraught with difficulties. Every 30 minutes, a woman dies during childbirth; only 30 percent of girls
have access to education; one in every three women experiences physical, psychological, or sexual violence; 44 years is the average life expectancy rate for women; and 70 to 80 percent of women face forced marriages. As the Women for Women website states, “Some say there are two Afghanistans — the one the world sees changing, and the hidden, scarier one that exists for women.” Another organization making a difference for women in Afghanistan is the Afghan Women’s Mission (AWM), a nonprofit founded in 2000 and based in Pasadena, Calif. AWM and the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan together run eight schools in the cities and refugee camps of Pakistan, providing education to nearly 2,000 girls and boys at primary, secondary, and high school levels. In addition, AWM finances 99 literacy courses in Afghanistan and Pakistan with nearly 1,500 students and continues to support many programs run by Afghan women, including a clinic, schools, orphanages, agricultural programs, and women’s rights efforts. While these appear to be signs of success to outsiders, “success” is not the word that people working in these organizations use to describe their efforts. When I contacted Sonali Kolhatkar, co-director of AWM, to talk to her about this column, she wrote back to me: Our organization thinks it is irresponsible to focus on the success stories in Afghanistan without going as deep into the failures. Life for women is actually worse in many cases now than it was in 2001. The media has often focused on success stories to the detriment of the majority of Afghan women.We would prefer to focus on how the most popular female member of the Parliament was kicked out of her position by USbacked warlords and how she has managed to survive four assassination attempts and still lives in fear of PRISM 2 0 1 0
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her life. Her name is Malalai Joya. To focus on success stories would be an insult to her and all the other Afghan women we work with who struggle every day. Malalai Joya (MalalaiJoya.com) is an Afghan politician who has been called “the bravest woman in Afghanistan” because she publicly denounces the presence of what she considers warlords and war criminals in the Afghan parliament. How can we encourage both progress and the tireless efforts of those who fight each day? How can we honor the work of AWM and courageous women like Joya? We can come to their aid in a number of concrete and compassionate ways: • Check out Women for Women’s online store (WomenforWomen.org), where you can purchase products handcrafted by the women they serve, sponsor a woman in the field, and help them raise awareness of their situation. • Through AWM (AfghanWomensMiss ion.org), you can volunteer special skills you have, sponsor an Afghan teacher ($105 a month pays for her salary, classroom supplies, and transportation), or host a fundraising party. Like all nonprofits, both organizations welcome cash donations. What’s more, as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit, who invites us to submit our prayers and groaning on behalf of those who suffer. Let us join together to give thanks for organizations like the ones mentioned here, to intercede for both their staff and the women they serve, and to pray for freedom for the captives and comfort for the brokenhearted. n Rev. Dr. Liz Rios (lizrios.com) is a wife, mother, teacher, pastor (SavetheNations.com), author, and consultant. As founder of the Center for Emerging Female Leadership (ceflonline.com), she empowers, encourages, and educates women who impact home, church, and society.