.
W

e might be tired of hearing the news coming out of Afghanistan: war, genocide, human crisis, misery and catastrophe. We might also feel relief when we hear that some countries are sending millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Yet we do not recognize those who are most affected inside this experience of war, those who are struggling to live under all the phases of political conflict in Afghanistan for the past fifty years.  These are the women, children, minorities, and non-Taliban men. More importantly, we are not aware that during this time, as Afghanistan endures its most catastrophic era, that the women of the country are demonstrating for their most basic rights. Because of this, they are arrested, tortured, and killed.

The humanitarian aid the Afghan people are receiving may help on a material level in the face of widespread poverty and food shortages, but it does not solve the most fundamental problems women, children, minorities and non-Taliban men are facing. For example, the poverty and fear experienced by Afghans lead to families selling their children—primarily girls—not only for food, but also to avoid underaged women being married to the Taliban. Furthermore, the distribution of aid coming from the international community is controversial as we do not know how these funds are being distributed; the people most in need are not receiving it. I have heard this myself from many living inside of Afghanistan. So, I ask: who is in charge of the distribution of international aid within Afghanistan? And who is really receiving it? I fear the Taliban manages humanitarian aid in a way that serves their own political and ideological goals and ideals. The international community expresses pity and sympathy for the Afghan people, but this does not do enough to concretely and materially transform the situation.  

Afghan Artist and author of the letter, Kubra Khademi. Photo by Julien Pebrel

I am an Afghan woman living in the so-called West, witnessing this misery and the lack of the most basic human rights for children and women inside Afghanistan. Let me be clear: if we recognize the Taliban as a legitimate political entity, the international community is condoning the forced marriage and sex slavery of underage women; denying Afghan women their reproductive rights; and condoning the use of their bodies as part of Jihad, for the creation of future Taliban soldiers—that is, terrorists. Taliban education produces Afghan children cut off from the world, taught to dream only of becoming a suicide bomber and to go to heaven. We must not allow this to be the only choice women and children have as to how they live in their country. Afghan women have never been able to envision and participate in their own political reality: there has never been such a thing as a “Taliban woman.” Women’s contribution to the reproduction of generations of Taliban terrorists is a reality forced upon them. 

After six years living in exile from Afghanistan, I have come to learn of and admire women in positions of political power, leaders I was unaware of before leaving my home country. I am seeking action from all women leaders, especially Angela Merkel, whose long career in politics and experience in international relations can be used to find ways to save the lives of Afghan women, children, and minorities. I am asking you, women leaders of the world, to take leadership roles in the establishment of an external Afghan government run exclusively by women: a cooperation of numerous international women leaders, governing Afghanistan from outside.

Angela Merkel, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Jacinda Ardern, Sanna Marin, Kamala Harris, Audray Azulay, Roslain Bachelot: I am certain you are aware of what Afghanistan has gone and is going through: the fire that is burning this country right now. I ask you to save Afghan women, children, and minorities; not simply because they desperately need your help, not even for the sake of human respect, but because it must be possible to propose a political project of governance formed and led by women. A government who can pressure the international community, coalition partners, and the Taliban themselves to save millions of children, women, and minorities now held hostage in the country. We urgently need a plan that will save the whole world from the threat of the terrorist institution that is currently building a state in Afghanistan: the fanatics that one day will destroy the entire world.

I could have asked for more radical actions: the evacuation of all women, children, minorities and non-Taliban men from Afghanistan; for the evacuees to be repatriated across all 194 countries in the world. This action would save them from the war and misery of life in Afghanistan, and would interrupt the country’s system of creating a constant flow of new generations of terrorists. I could have asked for the assassination of all Taliban terrorists, so that finally the world can say they genuinely fought against terrorism and won. But we all know these are absurd and unrealistic solutions. I believe that my proposal of an external Afghan government run exclusively by women is realistic and doable, and has more transformative potential, more power to create lasting change and herald a new era for women, a new era for Afghanistan, a new era for the world.

Dear Angela Merkel, with this letter I address you and the other women leaders around the world: Let us liberate Afghan women, children, and minorities today. Let us truly fight against terrorism.

About
Kubra Khademi
:
Kubra Khademi is an Afghan artist who uses art to explore and communicate her life as a refugee and a woman.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.

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www.diplomaticourier.com

Open Letter to Women Leaders of the World from an Afghan Artist

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere via Unsplash.

March 8, 2022

In an open letter to women leaders around the world, Afghan artist Kubra Khademi calls for the formation of a political project of governance formed and led by women, which can pressure the international community and the Taliban to save millions of children, women, and minorities in Afghanistan.

W

e might be tired of hearing the news coming out of Afghanistan: war, genocide, human crisis, misery and catastrophe. We might also feel relief when we hear that some countries are sending millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Yet we do not recognize those who are most affected inside this experience of war, those who are struggling to live under all the phases of political conflict in Afghanistan for the past fifty years.  These are the women, children, minorities, and non-Taliban men. More importantly, we are not aware that during this time, as Afghanistan endures its most catastrophic era, that the women of the country are demonstrating for their most basic rights. Because of this, they are arrested, tortured, and killed.

The humanitarian aid the Afghan people are receiving may help on a material level in the face of widespread poverty and food shortages, but it does not solve the most fundamental problems women, children, minorities and non-Taliban men are facing. For example, the poverty and fear experienced by Afghans lead to families selling their children—primarily girls—not only for food, but also to avoid underaged women being married to the Taliban. Furthermore, the distribution of aid coming from the international community is controversial as we do not know how these funds are being distributed; the people most in need are not receiving it. I have heard this myself from many living inside of Afghanistan. So, I ask: who is in charge of the distribution of international aid within Afghanistan? And who is really receiving it? I fear the Taliban manages humanitarian aid in a way that serves their own political and ideological goals and ideals. The international community expresses pity and sympathy for the Afghan people, but this does not do enough to concretely and materially transform the situation.  

Afghan Artist and author of the letter, Kubra Khademi. Photo by Julien Pebrel

I am an Afghan woman living in the so-called West, witnessing this misery and the lack of the most basic human rights for children and women inside Afghanistan. Let me be clear: if we recognize the Taliban as a legitimate political entity, the international community is condoning the forced marriage and sex slavery of underage women; denying Afghan women their reproductive rights; and condoning the use of their bodies as part of Jihad, for the creation of future Taliban soldiers—that is, terrorists. Taliban education produces Afghan children cut off from the world, taught to dream only of becoming a suicide bomber and to go to heaven. We must not allow this to be the only choice women and children have as to how they live in their country. Afghan women have never been able to envision and participate in their own political reality: there has never been such a thing as a “Taliban woman.” Women’s contribution to the reproduction of generations of Taliban terrorists is a reality forced upon them. 

After six years living in exile from Afghanistan, I have come to learn of and admire women in positions of political power, leaders I was unaware of before leaving my home country. I am seeking action from all women leaders, especially Angela Merkel, whose long career in politics and experience in international relations can be used to find ways to save the lives of Afghan women, children, and minorities. I am asking you, women leaders of the world, to take leadership roles in the establishment of an external Afghan government run exclusively by women: a cooperation of numerous international women leaders, governing Afghanistan from outside.

Angela Merkel, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Jacinda Ardern, Sanna Marin, Kamala Harris, Audray Azulay, Roslain Bachelot: I am certain you are aware of what Afghanistan has gone and is going through: the fire that is burning this country right now. I ask you to save Afghan women, children, and minorities; not simply because they desperately need your help, not even for the sake of human respect, but because it must be possible to propose a political project of governance formed and led by women. A government who can pressure the international community, coalition partners, and the Taliban themselves to save millions of children, women, and minorities now held hostage in the country. We urgently need a plan that will save the whole world from the threat of the terrorist institution that is currently building a state in Afghanistan: the fanatics that one day will destroy the entire world.

I could have asked for more radical actions: the evacuation of all women, children, minorities and non-Taliban men from Afghanistan; for the evacuees to be repatriated across all 194 countries in the world. This action would save them from the war and misery of life in Afghanistan, and would interrupt the country’s system of creating a constant flow of new generations of terrorists. I could have asked for the assassination of all Taliban terrorists, so that finally the world can say they genuinely fought against terrorism and won. But we all know these are absurd and unrealistic solutions. I believe that my proposal of an external Afghan government run exclusively by women is realistic and doable, and has more transformative potential, more power to create lasting change and herald a new era for women, a new era for Afghanistan, a new era for the world.

Dear Angela Merkel, with this letter I address you and the other women leaders around the world: Let us liberate Afghan women, children, and minorities today. Let us truly fight against terrorism.

About
Kubra Khademi
:
Kubra Khademi is an Afghan artist who uses art to explore and communicate her life as a refugee and a woman.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.