Afghan men don burqas to highlight women’s rights
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KABUL: A group of Afghan men marched through Kabul on Thursday to draw attention to women’s rights by donning head-to-toe burqas.
The men marched under a leaden sky, with the bright blue burqas falling over their heads down to muddy sneakers and boots.
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| Male civil society members wear burqas to protest violence against women, ahead of International Women's Day, in Kabul, Afghanistan. — AP |
The demonstrators, associated with a group called Afghan Peace Volunteers, said they had organised the march ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
“Our authorities will be celebrating International Women’s Day in big hotels, but we wanted to take it to the streets,” said activist Basir, 29, who uses one name.
“One of the best ways to understand how women feel is to walk around and wear a burqa.”
The march by about 20 men drew a mixed reaction.
Traffic policeman Javed Haidari, 24, looked bemused and slightly annoyed.
“What’s the point of this?” he wondered. “All of the women in my family wear burqas. I wouldn’t let them go out without one.” Several of the men said wearing a burqa felt “like a prison”. They carried signs reading “equality” and “Don’t tell women what to wear, you should cover your eyes”.
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| Male Afghan women's rights activist pose for media as they wear burqas to show their solidarity to Afghan women ahead of International Women's Day in Kabul, Afghanistan. — Reuters |
Some men stopped to watch, laughing and heckling. Some were confused; others said women’s rights encouraged prostitution.
Some female passersby were also nonplussed. “We don’t need anyone to defend our rights,” said Medina Ali, a 16-year-old student wearing a black veil that showed only her eyes and woolly gloves on a cold morning.
“This is just a foreign project to create a bad image for the burqa and Afghanistan. They’re trying to make those of us who cover our faces feel bad.”
An older woman, who wore a burqa herself, was less affronted. “My husband and son tell me I should take my burqa off,” said Bibi Gul, who thought she was around 60.
“But I’m used to it. I’ve been wearing this for 35 years.”
Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2015
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Comments (38) Closed
Mar 06, 2015 12:34pm
Nice step, although they are far away from having equal rights for women inAfghanistan but the journey begins with a first step!
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Mar 06, 2015 12:39pm
Great Initiative
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Mar 06, 2015 12:53pm
@Seema Ubed I want to see all fanatics to wear burqa on that day and curious about to know their reactions !
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Mar 06, 2015 01:20pm
Very Good!! Excellent. Very good way to show support for women.
In Turkey, the men showed support by wearing skirts.
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Mar 06, 2015 01:26pm
Afghan will progress better than Pakistan.
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Mar 06, 2015 01:36pm
let women to free as they are most important to our wisdom and life, no man can live without and most respectful, locking them behind corridor lead to anarchy
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Mar 06, 2015 01:53pm
I will only say that on the face it appears to be a gimmick, even though the intention of about 20 men is taken for granted. These men should listen to what young Medina Ali, a 16-year-old student and the old lady Bibi Gul, who thought she was around 60, had to say. Better try to understand the psyche of the women and leave to their choice what wear or not. You can’t do away with the culture and tradition over night. If it is not good, the 20 odd men would do better try to enrich education, health, well being, economic uplift of the women folk. Please do not become another set of bigotry like religious fundamentalists.
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Mar 06, 2015 02:01pm
why just there ..This should be done all over the world where men insist that women cover themselves in Burkh.
should start with Saudi.
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Mar 06, 2015 02:42pm
This is a progressive nation...and if there was no war.. I bet it would have been like US and UK
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Mar 06, 2015 04:48pm
I am bit baffled to relate wearing a burqa/not wearing a burqa with women rights...
Its a dress code.. Wear it if you like it.. and not if you dont..
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Mar 06, 2015 06:27pm
Especially the burqas these people force the women to wear! There are better "abayas" available.
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Mar 06, 2015 08:01pm
They seem to be enjoying their protest a little too much!
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Mar 06, 2015 08:34pm
vow. cool!
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Mar 06, 2015 08:50pm
Those who comment that let women choose if they want to burqa and the women who do choose it have no understanding of what real freedom is. Why do you think France and Italy have banned this attire? It is the most demeaning thing akin to bikini in that it reduces women's primary identity to their bodies whether hiding or exposing it.
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Mar 06, 2015 10:51pm
Male dominated prescription for women's fashion - Burka
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Mar 06, 2015 11:19pm
So did Mualana Abdul Aziz.
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Mar 06, 2015 11:55pm
@MSH Really is it that simple in muslim world? won't you lash ladies in public and stone them for not wearing burqua?
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Mar 07, 2015 01:24am
We are Muslims Alhamdulillah:). We r the followers of Best Religeon... We have the best values... Secondly everyone is Individual who are they to tell Muslim women what to wear and what not to?
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Mar 07, 2015 01:26am
What as shame for those who make fun of their own religion by doing these type of acts? I live in Canada, wear Abbaya and veil and feel proud of my identity as a Muslim woman, alhamdulillah. And never feel myself like a prisoner by wearing this. I believe that lack of knowledge about Islam is the basic reason behind these kind of acts.
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Mar 07, 2015 01:32am
@Dilip Banerjee
Do you think women would have had accepted "burqa" if it was left over them on what to wear and not???
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Mar 07, 2015 08:47am
@Dilip Banerjee
ya. It takes time to evolve.
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Mar 08, 2015 12:19am
@Ayesha Nisarash try to live in Afghanistan then you will find out
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Mar 08, 2015 12:19am
@Reformist : That's correct. Look at the era of King Zahir Shah. Since this is about women's rights, Afghanistan was way ahead during that time and had very friendly relationship with India.
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Mar 08, 2015 12:20am
@malzy nice one
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Mar 08, 2015 05:31am
@Reformist Why not. Bangladesh did.
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Mar 08, 2015 05:54am
@Ayesha it's not about you. You choose to do whatever you want in a free society like Canada. It's Afghan women who are forced to wear burqa and asked to confine themselves to their homes, all against their will. It's worse than a prison for those who doesn't want to choose that kind of life style and of course it's fulfilling to many who choose to wear burqa. Problem here is imposition of a life style.
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Mar 08, 2015 02:54pm
Is Pak islamic state? lots of women in pak don't wear burga.
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Mar 08, 2015 04:12pm
Congratulations to Afghan men for wearing Burqas.
May it become a normal for these men.
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Mar 09, 2015 02:49am
Yes that's good at least they are trying to come out of the stone age. There is another good news a woman has started driving a cab in Kabul. Wish them good luck.
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Mar 09, 2015 10:39am
@Ayesha Nisarash A theif by brought up never feels ashamed of stealing someone's purse. He actually proud of his acts and even showcase them to others. It is not his fault.
It is due the the lies he made to believe. So how many arguments he put in to judge his act, at the end of the day he is one brainwashed guy!!!
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Mar 09, 2015 04:48pm
It is really very enchanting that Pashtoons are now standing up for women's Rights. this means that the old Pashtoons are becoming alive to 21st Century Culture.D. goel
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Mar 09, 2015 11:47pm
@Samina Oh please, spare us your tears. I wonder how oppressed they would be if they had to go out into an atmosphere where they could instantly lose their lives or be disabled just to financially support their families. This is the typical kind of vitriol you hear from those who are privileged, however these sorts of people always send their men-folk out in life and death situations whenever it suits them and then in peace time complain about how they are somehow being treated badly; they just use and use and repeatedly play the victim. Grow up and face reality, a piece of cloth won't kill you but an innocent man will very likely die travelling to work in a torn up war-zone like Afghanistan.
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Mar 09, 2015 11:49pm
@Thinker Please learn some grammar rules.
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Mar 09, 2015 11:53pm
@Areeba What's wrong with these burqas! they are Pashtun culture, so please if you are not Pashtun just keep your opinions to yourself and shut up. Unlike other people we Pashtuns actually have a respect for our culture and traditions unlike those who have lost their own!
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Mar 09, 2015 11:58pm
@someone_else Do you think men would maintain their families if they didn't have to? Do you think men would give their lives to protect their female family members if they didn't have to?
It's not about what you want, it's about what is correct, and in a Pashtun society this is CORRECT.
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Mar 10, 2015 01:19am
Women's equality in the Islamic world ? I don't think we will see it in our life time.
Mullah Brigade will not let it happen.
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Mar 10, 2015 10:42am
Well they all seem to laughing which would imply wearing a burqa brings happiness. It is not a joke and they should have been more serious to highlight women problems.
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Mar 10, 2015 12:44pm
There are some places in israel where women cover themselves completely when going out. Why doesnt the Western society ask those jews to stop using veil first?
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