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Previous News
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11th, 2009
Report On Our One Day Seminar, Entitled "Women Need Peace"
 
To mark this women’s day, a one day seminar was held by the Afghanistan Women Council (AWC) at Sitara Restaurant in Kabul. 400 people gathered together, mostly women from Parliament, Kabul University, political parties, women’s NGOs, embassies, journalists and people from various walks of life including women from the AWC program in Parwan, Jalalabad and Kabul.
AWC is continually striving to promote the welfare of the most vulnerable women in the country and this program was held to give due honor and respect to them
The program started with the recitation of a few verses of the holy Quran by Ms. Feroza, an AWC staff member. Then Ms. Fatana Ishaq Gailani talked about the issues that confront Afghan women everyday. She pointed out the current problems in the country that resulted from the mistakes made by the international community in the Bonn Conference. She added that the international community established the first traditional Afghan Council (Loya Jerga) in consultation with all the warlords whose hands are red with the blood of the people.
She expressed her concern for the worsening situation facing women. She related that today Afghan women are dealing with various kinds of atrocities including rape, harassment and physical torture.
She continued, "I will let you know about the story of a woman who is present in this gathering. Her husband was a victim of suicide attacks in Kabul a few months back. I went to her house and listened to her tragic story. When I asked about her children, she said that they were all going out for a loaf of bread. Her sister sells socks in Shahr e Naw area and her sons sell chewing gum and biscuits and beg in the streets. I asked her about her young son, if he was going to school and what was he doing? Her son cried and said he was selling chewing gum on the way to school and then he spent most of his day in the streets. I asked him why he was crying. He said that he was worried about his sister and did not want to lose her because she is also in the streets all day. A child such as this who needs to play, to have a room for his rest and study, has lost his father and his mother is begging all day on the streets now. These children spend all day at the Bazaar. What will be their future? This woman is in AWC’s loan program. In honor of this day, AWC has opened a women’s support program for 120 women in Kandahar and 200 women have received loans in the Shorbazaar area."
At the end of the program Ms. Gailani requested that Afghans negotiate for peace and she also requested support from the international community to continue to pursue the peace process.
Mr. Sayed Masood, and Mr. Ahmad Raza Rafaat, professors of Kabul University, Mr. Abdul Kabeer Ranjbar, and Mr. Ramazan Bashardost members of the National Assembly, board member Ms. Fawzia Asifi and Ms. Wida Aziz Zadah, a member of AWC, gave their speeches on the critical economic and security situation. The also discussed the increasing conflict around the country and all those problems women suffer from and face at an increasing rate in their daily lives. All of the participating speakers identified the root cause of these problems. Namely, the blame lies with the international community’s ignorance and the inefficiency of Mr. Karzai’s poor administration.
The seminar ended with the recitation of few verses of Holy Quran and lunch for the participants. |
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Who We Are
Fatana Gailani, Founder, Afghanistan Women Council
Ms. Fatana Said Gailani, who comes from an influential family of Kabul, has become one of the most prominent advocates of Afghan women's rights. After she sought refuge in Pakistan in late 1978 due to her opposition to the Communist regime of Noor Mohammad Tarraki, she began her humanitarian work in 1980 by providing medical assistance for Afghan refugees. Mrs. Gailani founded the Afghanistan Women Council (AWC) in 1986 and started its activities for human rights, women's rights, children's rights and peace building in 1993. The main objective of the organization is to enlighten women, improve their living conditions, and strengthen their socio-economic status in society by their multi-lateral involvement in developmental activities.
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What We Do
AWC runs the Ariana School, the Mother and Child Health Clinic in Peshawar, which provides education and medical care to refugee families, and the Nazo AnaClinic, a 20-bed hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, that kept its doors open throughout all five years of the Taliban regime. AWC also manages humanitarian relief efforts for newly-arrived refugees and publishes the monthly journal, Zan-e-Afghan (Aghan Women) to mobilize women to bring peace and stability to the country. AWC creates and administers innovative projects such as trade training, literacy, health kit disbursement, and TBA training. AWC also strives to provide a voice for women through political representation in the new government.
Read More
Learn more about our Micro-Finance Program and read amazing stories of transformation from women who have received a loan.
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Latest News
Graduation Ceremony for 100 Women
A graduation ceremony was held in which 100 women graduated from literacy, awareness, and vocational training programs and received their certificates. Around 400 people from NGOs, INGOs, embassies, governmental organizations, Kabul University, and elders in the field participated.
The event started at 9:00 AM and finished at 2:00 PM in KABUL SHAHAN HOTEL on 23rd December 09.
Interview with Fatana Gailani by a Journalist from Manchester University - May 2009
As a result of the Military coup d'état led by Mr. Daud Khan, the kingdom changed to the Republic of Afghanistan in 1963. At that time I was not more than 19 years old. Sardar Mohd Daud Khan was a national and patriotic personality who wanted to lead Afghanistan toward development with his short-term (5 years) and his long-term (20 years) development plans. Unfortunately, there were some people dependent on USSR in his team who were taking orders directly from the USSR.Read More | |
