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Take action to help Afghan women like Frozan

“I was married by age 14. Now I have a daughter who is 14 years old and we are both in the ninth grade at school.

I do not go to the same school as her because I believe that her friends will make fun of us for being in the same grade. I want my daughter to continue her education, she plans to complete grade 16 and continue her education in economics.

I would like to become a teacher so that I can educate other women. I heard of the Afghan Women’s Resource Centre and that they were offering courses in literacy so I enrolled.

My chance to receive an education gave my life hope and meaning. Before, I couldn’t write a letter or even my name. I am happy I will have a bright future and become a teacher.

I want to do a lot for women in my community and Afghanistan but I think what will help and benefit the women the most in Afghanistan is to stop the violence in family life where the wife is beaten by the husband. I would like to have a centre where women can go where they can be educated about their rights.

I would like to say thank you to all the women who support Womankind for being able to support me going back to school and my daughter and allowing us to get an education.”

On 8 July representatives from national governments including the UK, USA, Germany, China and Japan gathered at a conference in Tokyo to discuss and pledge aid for the continuing development of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile women in Afghanistan like Frozan and her daughter are at risk of losing the freedom they have gained because they have not had a place at the negotiating table.

Take action

1. Sign up to support the No Women No Peace campaign for greater women’s representation in peace talks everwhere.
2. Make a donation to help us ensure women and girls like Frozan and her daughter have access to education and information about their rights. Just £22 can pay for one workshop.

More information

Our partner the Afghan Women’s Network have been lobbying for women to have a greater say in discussions shaping the future of Afghanistan, here are two briefings they have produced:

• Afghan Women’s Position Paper on the Occasion of the July 8, 2012 Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Tokyo, Japan (PDF)
• Women’s Security and Transition in Afghanistan: Measuring the success of transition by lasting protections for women’s security (PDF)

The British and Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group (of which Womankind is a member) have also produced a Tokyo Briefing Paper on Aid Effectiveness / Economic Development (PDF)