Author: Zohal Rad, Head of the Alliance of Empowered Women
On the eve of the New Year, an image of Samanak this ancient tradition and symbol of solidarity in Persian-speaking cultures, is being shared with the world by the “Alliance of Empowered Women.” However, this image is incomplete, as the presence of girls is absent.
The removal of girls from this image mirrors their exclusion from education, the future, and society. No society can achieve progress while ignoring half of its body. What is happening in reality goes beyond what is seen and said; deprivation continues, and efforts have yet to yield results.
We, however, will not remain silent. Our goal is clear: the return of girls to school and an end to discrimination.
The New Year gains meaning only when it marks a beginning for all, not just for a limited few.
Samanak is a symbol of patience, participation, and hope an age-old ritual that comes to life through the hands of women and girls, through night-time chants and collective wishes. How can one speak of solidarity while half of this narrative is ignored? This imposed silence is not only a symbolic exclusion, but also a reflection of a bitter reality within society.
Today, our responsibility goes beyond recounting pain; we must be narrators of truth and stand firm for change. We believe that no wall can withstand an aware will and a united voice. We begin the New Year with hope for a future in which no girl is deprived of the right to education and participation.
The Women Taliban Fear: Abducted, Silenced, Disappeared
After dozens of women and girls were abducted from public spaces under the Taliban's latest hijab crackdown, residents in Herat, Afghanistan, took to the streets in protest. They were met with gunfire, abductions, and an expanding campaign of...
Read more