Afghanistan - Herat Women Thirst for Education
Women in this western city are flocking to literacy classes, which are
transforming their lives.
By Sadeq Behnam and Sudabah Afzali (ARR No. 260, 17-July-07)
Fatima,
mother of five, sits in the tent, sweating in the heat. She is not alone: there
are 40 other women with her, all of them busy with the alphabet.
“I
really want to learn to read and write,” she told IWPR.
Fatima lives in
Dadshan village, in a district of Herat Province that is remote from the
splendours of the capital city. Enrolling in the literacy course was not easy:
in addition to coping with the demands of her large family, she had to convince
her husband, a farmer for whom literacy, especially for women, seemed a luxury.
But Fatima persisted, and the joy of her accomplishment shows in her
face as she carefully traces her letters.
“I want to become a teacher in
my village so I can help other women,” she said. “Besides, I can help my husband
by bringing in some money.”
Education officials in Herat say that close
to 80 per cent of their literacy students are women. It is the first province in
Afghanistan to show such a sharp jump in female education.
“Families here
are more open, and the security is relatively good,” said Muhammad Omar
Ghafoori, head of the literacy unit of Herat’s Education Department. “We also
have a large migration from Iran, which neighbours Herat and has a similar
culture.”
Herat is something of an anomaly in Afghanistan today. Its
gracious, tree-lined streets, the famed 15th-century minarets, and the
spectacular Jamiea Mosque are in stark contrast to Kabul’s dusty, barren roads
and ruined buildings. A centre of culture and learning for centuries, it is a
fitting place to launch a literacy movement.
According to Ghafoori, more
than 50,000 women have participated in literacy courses over the past three
years, compared to just over 15,000 men. Herat has 6,000 literacy centres
scattered throughout its towns and villages, and the effort has pulled in more
than 5500 teachers.
“We have mullahs, religious scholars, high school
graduates, community leaders – all volunteering as teachers,” he
said.
Nooria, a resident of Gulran district, is also learning to read and
write. For her it is a matter of women’s rights.
“When the women are able
to write and read, they will be able to know and defend their rights,” she said.
“When we were living in Iran, as refugees, we learned a different kind of family
and social life.”
Sima Sher Muhammadi, head of the Department of Women’s
Affairs in Herat, is convinced that it was her office’s hard work that has made
the difference.
“We have held more than 100 workshops in women’s rights,
literacy, and criminal law,” she said. “We have encouraged women to get
educated. In addition, we have had very good cooperation with the Ulema
(religious councils).”
The women’s department distributed foodstuffs such
as beans, oil, and sugar to poor woman who have enrolled in the literacy
programme, which has also boosted attendance, she said.
But the literacy
campaign has had even greater benefits for Herat’s women, she
added.
“Overall we have had a 60 per cent decrease in the rate of
self-immolation, which was the highest in the country two years ago,” she said.
“Also, the number of forced marriages has decreased. This is the result of our
workshops, and of women becoming literate.”
Dr Barakatullah Mohammadi,
who heads the Emergency Regional Hospital of Herat Province, confirmed that
there has been a precipitous decline in cases of women burning
themselves.
“So far this year we have only had 13 cases of
self-immolation,” he told IWPR. “This is a 90 per cent decrease over last year.
The reason is literacy, and the information campaigns launched by the hospital,
NGOs, the mullahs, and the women’s affairs department.”
Men are lagging
far behind their wives, sisters, and daughters when it comes to learning to read
and write.
“Men have to make a living for their families,” said Ghafoori.
“Their economic problems make them less interested in literacy.”
Social
scientist Ajmal Yazdani agreed that the need to earn money was the main reason
men were less inclined to enroll in literacy courses. But male ego also plays a
role, he added.
“When men are older they are not willing to sit in a
chair and learn the alphabet like a child,” he said. “But women’s literacy is
part of the culture in Herat. There is relative security in the province, which
helps. But the main reason is that five-year period under the Taleban when women
were not allowed to leave their homes. Now they are getting their revenge for
that time.”
Sources at the Herat education department have said that 50
per cent of the more than 600,000 children at school are girls. This is in sharp
contrast to some other parts of the country, such as the south, where girls make
up no more than ten per cent of students.
But problems remain. Many
families are still unwilling to let their wives and daughters out to go to
school, and women have few resources with which to resist.
Gulsum, a
resident of Rawashan village, is a housewife. She wants to learn to read and
write, and she told IWPR that many of her neighbours have participated in
literacy courses. Her husband, however, is not willing for her to leave the
house to go to school.
“When I ask him for permission to go to school he
beats me,” she said. “But I don’t care how many times he beats me, I will keep
asking. One day he will say
yes.”