Anita Haidary
is an International Student studying at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.
She’s a current junior, majoring in Film Studies and hoping to complete a minor
in International relations or Women in Politics
How
did you begin the project YWC?
After
first semester of my first year (winter 2011) I met a Lady who suggested we
meet an Afghan girl. We met this afghan girl over dinner and we talked about
women issues.
The
idea behind this project was not to set up an organization but to start a
movement where women can talk together, sit together and find the issues
themselves.
Why
we thought it was important to do this was because back home, a lot of
organizations get a lot of funding to do stuff on women’s right…During this
process, there’s something lost-“women involvement”. Even as an Afghan women
myself, living here in the US, when I go back home, I realize that things have
changed over time…it takes me time to see that gap and for a foreigner to see
the gap is quite hard. We thought it would be easier and much more effective if
women could come together to talk about their issues and proffer solutions
themselves.
We
introduced the movement through Facebook and invited our friends. In our first meeting 70 women showed up.
How
did you feel when you started the first walk?
I
was scared, scared for my sister and friend who were there. But, when we
started walking, it was so powerful; we had these posters in Dari stating why
harassment is wrong. We had support from the police. While walking,
that’s when I felt the most powerful. I felt that “I own the city where I
live”…. I was part of the city; it’s my own city.
We
had to register YWC as an organization under the government just to gain legal
recognition
Now,
there are TV shows about street harassment, there were short films about it.
We still write and post stuff and my short films were on street
harassment.
How
do you go about creating a safe environment for women to discuss these issues?
Take
for instance the Internet. Internet services are really expensive back home.
When you enter a café, and you’re a woman, everybody looks at you, with
expressions saying: “what are you doing here?”, “you’re a woman, and you’re not
supposed to be here”. Once you’re sitting and typing your work everyone’s
looking at your screen. It’s frustrating. Also you get pressure from the family
because you’re going into an area where there are only men. Culturally it
wasn’t good for women to use the Internet. Women do no stay after school. So we
opened an Internet campaign on our last year anniversary. We used the Internet
café ‘s space for sister sessions/lectures.
So
we started a lecture series, which was free for everyone. We know people who
have expertise in certain areas and we invite them to give talks. We also
introduced debate because it wasn’t a prominent in the society. Sister sessions
were made so women could bond together and realize that they’re not in their
situations alone.
With
the current rape issues going on around the world, what do you think we can do
to address this situation?
One
of the things I think is important to be imbedded in our lives Is to teach
women not to protect themselves but its time to teach men as well not to rape
women. For instance, my mother always says, “wear long clothes…to protect
yourselves from rapes”. We kind of learn when we’re very young that you’re
going to be raped. Now, it’s in your hand to save yourself. It’s a horrible
situation. In countries like Afghanistan, even when women
are raped, the blame goes to her. And you hear words like “maybe you gave him a
hint”. Who gives a hint to anyone to rape them? Who wants to go through that
process? Maybe there is another side to the story. Teaching women to protect
themselves and teaching men not rape is important too.
What
are your plans for the future?
I’m thinking of going to graduate school. My long-term plans are
to work for YWC, also my I hope to use my films to bring out the light that is
not well publicized.
By Zaidat Ibrahim
What country does Anita Haidary hail from? The description of the culture she faced there is daunting.
ReplyDeleteAfghanistan
ReplyDelete