Women for Change invites support

WHILE equal access to education for all is a basic expectation among Australians, for the women and girls of Afghanistan, simply continuing education beyond primary school is difficult due to oppression, human rights activists say.

Now a dedicated group, Women for Change (WFC) is urging Ballarat locals to help address the plight of women and girls contending with human rights oppression in Afghanistan, by supporting their work.

The work of WFC in Afghanistan follows on from the work of the recently dissolved Ballarat Afghan Action Group in tackling human rights abuses.

Ballarat Afghan Action group formally dissolved in June after fulfilling its specific goal, the group’s former president David MacPhail said.

“Since Kabul fell and the Taliban overwhelmed Afghanistan on August 21 in 2021, the people of Afghanistan, and especially women and the minority Hazara people, have been subjected to increasingly violent, oppressive and inhumane treatment and policies,” said Mr MacPhail, a member of Ballarat Rural Australians for Refugees.

“Back in 2021, Ballarat Hazara residents, refugees on temporary protection visas, were horrified by the TV footage and traumatising family phone calls for help and the Ballarat community, led by Ballarat Rural Australians for Refugees, and guided by Hazara man Abdul Rasuli, responded in sentiment and kind.

“Ballarat Afghan Action Group (BAAG) was formed, incorporated, and partnered with Payam Jawanan in Afghanistan to make it possible to circumvent the oppressive Taliban regime to deliver crisis food aid and eventually classroom teaching to vulnerable oppressed Hazaras.”

Over three years and four northern winters, as the oppression and the desperate need in Afghanistan deteriorated further, the Ballarat community, through BAAG, delivered $110,000 in crisis food aid and education. As the priority moved from crisis food aid to education and then finally to education for women and girls, BAAG partnered Women for Change which is based in Melbourne but has staunch supporters in Ballarat.

Mr MacPhail said that toward the end of last year. BAAG began a planned transition to support WFC “who have the expertise to navigate the hostile pathways to deliver education to girls and women”.

“WFC are Hazara women who defy the Taliban to deliver education, often clandestinely, for girls and women in Afghanistan,” he said.

“We came to the decision that for the women the access to education became extremely important and we held the view that for the future, gender equity would be the measure by which you could determine the development of Afghanistan.

“Most of the education for girls over grade six is done clandestinely. It was clear that WFC were able to do this work very well.

“In leaving the stage, BAAG is encouraging anyone interested in ongoing support of girls’ education in Afghanistan to support the work of Women for Change.”

Women for Change CEO Lida Hazara said the group is keen to welcome new members and supporters.

“Our work is 100 per cent volunteer and June was very busy for us,” she said.

“Any support would be big support for us. Most of the time we are struggling.”

More information is available by emailing [email protected] or phoning 0470 171 803.