Afghanistan under the Taliban: No girls in high schools, no women in government decision-making positions. Where have all the women gone?

A round table discussion with Parwiz Mosamim, Afghan journalist and currently working as an assistant PhD student in the Institute of Communication and Public Policy, Prof. Jean-Patrick Villeneuve and Prof. Jolanta Drzewiecka, associate professors at USI and Heela Najibullah, Ph.D. Candidate in Intergenerational Narratives of Afghan Conflict (Religious Studies of Faculty of Theology), University of Zurich.

Date: 14 May 2022 as part of the event “Stand for Afghanistan” (in case of bad weather: Sunday, 15 May)

Location: USI,West Campus Lugano, Red Building, Room A11, 5.30 pm.

Participants: Public  

The event will be held in English. It will be possible to watch the event also online via Zoom:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/63280544483

Meeting ID: 632 8054 4483
Passcode: 712805
 

This round table discussion on the situation of Afghanistan under the Taliban focuses on the newly imposed educational restrictions for female students and the collapse of women’s representation in governmental institutions. The Taliban have regained power after 20 years of conflict. Now, the international community is concerned that Afghanistan will, once again, go back on women’s rights.

The Taliban did not allow female students above grade six to continue their education. Additionally, the Taliban introduced regulations to remove women from government institutions. At the moment, there is no woman in decision-making positions of the government. What is to be done?

Also, on 14 May, from 10 am to 8:30 pm, as part of its support for the AFG Ticino community, USI will host the "Stand for Afghanistan" event on its university campus. The event includes the sale of second-hand clothes and opportunities to learn more about Afghanistan, a bar with Afghan specialities, a theatre performance, readings in Italian/Farsi, entertainment for children and music. 

At the event, a fundraising campaign to support the right to study of Afghan students will be launched. The project was thought up by a USI doctoral student and alumna, Alice Noris and Camilla Speranza, with Michael Kunz, president of the Swiss Afghanistan Hilfe Association and the Shuhada organisation, and supported by the USI Students Corporation. 

More information on the project can be found on this page https://www.usi.ch/en/feeds/20398