Creative writing: Afghan women advocating through narratives
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021, the situation of Afghan women has seriously deteriorated. The rights and freedoms of women and girls have been reduced to dust. But Afghan women have never stopped hoping and resisting oppression. To illustrate and to shed light on Afghan women’s resilience in these troubled times, CSPPS-member Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT) launched the second edition of its Creative Writing Program. This advocacy program is centred on sharing the narratives and stories of Afghan women about their experience under the Taliban regime.
In the face of repression, many women have taken refuge in words, using their pens to tell the world about their lives, the challenges they face and the resistance they built. Through this program, APT has been collecting and amplifying the voices of Afghan women whom the Taliban regime has tried to silence.
‘Throughout all the hardships we faced, one thing remained certain - we refused to be silenced or defeated by those who aimed to control us. We were determined to persist in our effort to secure our rights until our voices echoed loudly and resolutely throughout Afghanistan.’ Ms. Sultanzada
We are pleased to announce the release of the 2nd edition of APT’s Creative Writing Program. We congratulate the APT team for their brave and persistent efforts to empower Afghan women by encouraging them to reclaim their voices through the creation and support of advocacy activities.
‘The act of sharing my work, initially terrifying; gradually became a source of empowerment. The positive feedback and encouragement I received from others fueled my confidence and affirmed the value of my voice.’ Ms. Amarkhil