Baharan Laheeb
Kunar – Since 2001, Afghanistan has witnessed a growing number of organizations dedicated to securing women’s rights. However, many of those who led such organizations were not genuinely committed to defending women’s rights or promoting their freedom; rather, their main concern was to obtain funds and projects, turning women’s rights into mere profit-driven ventures.

Alongside the governments of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, many of these organization heads enriched themselves while violence against women, murder, forced suicides, child marriages, the exchange of women as commodities, and honor-related killings all increased.

Due to rampant corruption over the past twenty years—and despite the presence of the United States, NATO, and neighboring countries—the Taliban ultimately seized power overnight. Yet amid all this corruption, some women dedicated their lives to fighting for freedom and democracy, paying heavy prices to help women achieve self-sufficiency and escape the cycle of violence and abuse.

“Supporting and economically empowering women is the core of our mission”

All women activists believe that economic independence is the key to freedom—that once a woman is free from financial dependence, she can claim her rights and live her life freely.

Among these women stands Mina Jalal, head of the “Voices of Women” foundation since 2018. Since its establishment, the organization has implemented numerous programs and initiatives and continues to stand by women in various provinces, playing a key role in supporting and economically empowering them while strengthening their presence in society.

Mina Jalal said, “The goal of the foundation is to support poor women and orphaned children. Our activities focus on tailoring, vocational education, cash assistance, and supporting children in need.”

She added, “We have implemented multiple projects in several provinces, most recently in Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar, and Nuristan. Our organization does not discriminate based on origin or affiliation; we seek to include the women who are most in need.”

Mina explained that the foundation’s projects have reached over 700 women through six-month and year-long programs, noting that many of the women who received support have managed to stand on their own feet and achieve economic self-sufficiency—an accomplishment she considers a true milestone in women’s empowerment.

Towards Self-Sufficiency

Mina Jalal explained that one of the foundation’s goals is to provide medical support to children in need, saying, “Many of them suffer from health problems and cannot afford to see a doctor. We organized medical camps to treat these children. Although each camp lasted only two to seven days, we held them several times to provide care and support.”

She also highlighted the organization’s efforts in vocational training for women, offering courses in tailoring and embroidery: “After training the women professionally, we reached out to companies to secure job opportunities for them so they could support their children and earn a living with dignity.”

“Our support for earthquake victims was direct and humanitarian”

Mina Jalal stated that the “Voices of Women” foundation provided direct humanitarian assistance to women affected by the earthquake in Kunar Province, emphasizing that the disaster there was “tragic in every sense of the word.” She continued, “Every stone and grain of soil in that region was stained with the blood of innocent women and children. While many organizations rushed to offer help, our approach was different.”

“We made sure to bring female doctors with us, since the local culture prevents women from visiting male doctors. We were the first medical team to enter the area with female doctors, and we managed to treat women who were in critical condition. We stayed there for three consecutive days, providing care even late at night. It was a small contribution, but it was essential for the women of Kunar.”

“The women of Kunar suffer psychological trauma and a lack of healthcare”

According to Mina Jalal, the earthquake left deep psychological and health impacts on women: “Most women suffered from severe trauma and low blood pressure after losing their homes and families. They couldn’t seek medical help from male doctors due to prevailing social norms.”

She added that women in the area also faced severe vitamin deficiencies, and among them were pregnant women who had lost their babies. Many expressed profound grief, saying they could never return to the homes where they lost their loved ones, even after many years.

“Children in Kunar faced serious illnesses”

Mina Jalal noted that the earthquake had serious health consequences for children as well: “Most of them suffered from diarrhea, fever, and chills due to malnutrition and poor living conditions. In the Mazār Valley of Nurgal District, no food aid reached the children for nine days. The roads were blocked, and there was nowhere to sleep, which led to the spread of diseases among the children.”

A Message of Hope

In conclusion, Mina delivered a heartfelt message: “Women who have learned to read and write must never forget their humanity. It doesn’t matter where a woman comes from or what ethnicity she belongs to—Hazara, Tajik, or Pashtun—what matters is that there are women who have placed their hope in us. We must live up to that trust. We must extend a helping hand without discrimination and do all we can to support one another. Our help, as women, carries a unique meaning. When we visited the earthquake-affected areas, women embraced us and wept with us—that moment showed us they feel we are part of them. We must never forget the women living in remote villages. We must give them all the support and solidarity we can.”