A Voice for Silenced Women in Afghanistan

As new Taliban rules ban Afghan women from making their voices heard in public, a Christian Afghan girl has shared a powerful song of protest and a prayer for freedom.

Nazyla,* who now lives in Tajikistan, has added her voice to the growing number of Afghan girls and women around the world who are bravely speaking out against the decree by sharing videos of themselves singing songs on social media.¹

A regular SAT-7 PARS viewer, she sent the recording of the song and a prayer for her homeland to the channel last week as it launched a social media campaign to raise awareness about the situation for Afghan women and give them a voice.

The song Nazyla sings is believed to be of Afghan origin. The words highlight the restrictions and suffering women face but also celebrate their strength and vitality:

I am a woman, let me be truly free,
that today I may be more loving than yesterday and tomorrow more joyful…

I am a woman, taboo breaker, full of freedom,
for which I will work and battle and give my life.

In the recording Nazyla thanks God “for all of the people who have heard our song and hear our voices,” and prays:

“We call on You and intercede for the freedom and peace of Afghanistan, that  hearts are touched and softened towards their women, that they will taste Your love and know how to treat women, and may the hearts of our women in Afghanistan be comforted.”

“There Is No Joy”

In the three years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, women have seen their value diminished and freedoms destroyed. Women have been excluded from secondary school, prevented from taking most university entrance exams, restricted in the work they can do, and banned from public spaces such as parks and fitness clubs. The new rules, published in a 114-page document, include requirements for women to cover their faces while out of the home and a ban on making their voices heard in public.² 

“There is no education and there is no joy,” said one SAT-7 PARS viewer in Afghanistan. “Even laughter has become a crime, and as I think about everyone – especially my own family – I am very upset and anxious about what is happening.”

Afsoon*, a young female viewer, was born and brought up in Tehran by her Iranian mother and Afghan father. But the family now lives in Afghanistan. “Ever since I set foot in this country, I have experienced nothing but adversity and misery,” she says. Afsoon is new to SAT-7 but felt able to reach out for support. “I just wanted to speak to you and talk about my problems,” she said.

“Living in a Graveyard”

Men are also suffering in Afghanistan, especially those who do not follow the Taliban’s strict edicts. Amir,* a Christian man in the country, contacted SAT-7 PARS to speak out against the latest rules and to share his experiences of the harsh reality of life in Afghanistan. He said that “banning women’s voices from society makes it feel like we are living in a graveyard… and not only have the voices of women been cut off, but the voices of men like me are also not being heard.

“It is a stifled society where the song of women is not heard, and without women there is no life or freedom,” he continued. “May the Lord bring the law of Christ to our nation, so that the people may learn to live humanely.”

Amir shared with us how both he and his wife have been subjected to beatings for not adhering to the Taliban’s restrictive rules: “The Taliban have stopped me and beaten me, and one day they stopped my wife and severely beat her for her hijab not being right.”

As a Christian, Amir tries to hide and avoid attending compulsory Islamic prayers. He thanked SAT‑7 PARS for providing biblical guidance. “I am grateful to your wonderful channel,” he said. “I am overjoyed each time that you send a devotional message. I became a Christian only about two years ago; I have a cross and it gives me peace when I look at it. Thank you.”

Programs for Persian Women

While Afghan women are mostly confined to the home, SAT-7 is able to reach them through our dedicated Persian-language TV channel, SAT‑7 PARS. Programs specifically for women include Insiders, which provides a platform for Persian-speaking expert guests to share their insights into the challenges facing women in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. New Identity meanwhile highlights the value of women in God’s eyes and offers biblical teaching to help Persian women find hope in the midst of the difficult circumstances and painful experiences they face.

SAT-7 PARS is increasing the number of programs it broadcasts in Dari, the variety of Persian most widely understood in Afghanistan. The upcoming education program Sun of Hope will give Afghan children and others unable to attend school the opportunity to learn to read and write.

*All viewer names in this article have been changed for security reasons.

Sources

¹ Human Rights Watch

² France24