Different but not unlike: we are women
Italy can set an example for Afghanistan in terms of freedom
by Shaheen Poya
This is the speech which Shaheen Poya delivered during the the “Science for Peace” Conference held by the Veronesi Foundation on November 19th 2011 in Milan.
“Good morning everybody. I am so pleased to be here with all of you and to tell you something about my country, Afghanistan. First, I want to tell you how I feel about being here in Italy. To be honest, I cannot compare these two beautiful countries because in Afghanistan we are at war and you are at peace.
So, in this short experience of mine, in a few days, it is hard for me to compare such different situations. I can speak only about what I have seen superficially in these days without knowing what lies beneath.
This is the reason why, at first sight, I see no differences in Italy between men and women. Here the people are equal. This is what I have seen so far.
You can attend the same courses at school. This is impossible for us in Afghanistan.
You can go everywhere in Italy. We cannot.
Legally, you can improve your situation and nobody can stop you. In Afghanistan you cannot do this because you are a woman. In my country most of the families, especially fathers and brothers, have the right to say: «No, you can’t do this, it’s not allowed».
Here you are free and I can see your freedom for example in spending your own well earned money. I’ll try to explain this to you. Most of the women in Afghanistan don’t work outside their homes. If they do work, they have to use their salary just for the needs of their families without keeping anything for themselves.
So, these differences start from birth and they increase as you get older.
When a woman is pregnant everybody hopes she will have a son, not a daughter. And when a son is born everybody is happy but if they give birth to a daughter it is not the same.
You can understand the difficulties of being a woman in Afghanistan.
This is the reason why I would like to do something for my country through my experience as a journalist and I really hope that life for women will change. I dream women in Afghanistan will be able to obtain important and powerful positions one day.
Thank you for your attention,
Tashakor*”
*Thank you in Dari
Follow @twitter
