In Afghanistan, The Government Tried Banning Girls From Singing. So Women Put Out Videos Of Them Singing

In Afghanistan, The Government Tried Banning Girls From Singing. So Women Put Out Videos Of Them Singing

Being a woman is hard enough, but being a woman in a country ruled by conservative men, it’s worse.  Women in countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan have it so bad, it actually feels like we might not be too bad here in India and that’s saying something. 

In 2015, the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan wanted to pass a new rule regarding the clothes worn by Afghan female students. The rule stated that these female students should wear uniforms that cover their entire body with long, dark-colored clothing. We don’t get it but apparently, this was something they wanted to do. We’re not sure what about women’s bodies offends them so much but with the help of social activists, who argued that it not only promoted extremism, the rule didn’t make it through. Of course, it was also argued that Afghan girls would have to wear this in summertime when the schools are on this and this practically made no sense. 

But the need to control didn’t stop there. In March 2020, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education announced that Afghan school girls above the age of 12 are not allowed to sing in school choirs and public places. This random and unnecessary rule caused a stir immediately. Hundreds of women took this fight online and posted videos of singing their favorite songs on the internet. 

An online women’s movement called the Ma’arif (which translates to education) Choir Campaign, started off to give a voice to those who have been silenced for a long while. The women raised questions as to why the female students should not be allowed to sing two decades after the fall of Taliban rule. The campaign got a widespread response and support from the public. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by ‌ ‌ ﮼ثریا (@soorii_)

The protests and the campaign led to the retreating of government officials and the Ministry of Education. Wahid Omar, an adviser to the Afghan president Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai said, “No individual or institution is allowed to set limits for its citizens, [which is] contrary to the spirit of the country’s constitution.”

And even though the plan was kicked to the curb by the government, they are already in the talks of other plans to suppress women. And even though the Ma’arif Choir campaign was a success, thanks to Afghan women, it is a temporary fix. There is a need to find a long-term solution that can guarantee gender equality in the educational sector. A plan that ensures the increase in the number of female teachers and increases awareness in remote areas so that more girls can study.

Women from all over the world need to come in support of other women who have been struggling. Women who have a voice – however soft that might be – need to speak and give a voice to the women who have been silenced. We as women need to grow together, fight together, and celebrate womanhood together.

Ritu Sanghvi

Read More From Ritu
Seen it all?

We’ve got more!