The Harsh Reality Faced by Women in Afghanistan

SHKULA ZADRAN, FORMER AFGHAN YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS: As you mentioned, that I was the Afghan U.S. representative to the United Nations. And, additionally, I was a working woman, and I was pursuing my master’s degree in international relations. It’s needed to be mentioned that I am — I belong to a restless generation, a restless generation who was born in war, grew up in war, and getting old in war, and perhaps, and unfortunately, might die in war. But it is needed to be mentioned that this generation is still committed, determined and hopeful for a better Afghanistan, though the situation is totally unclear and unfortunate. But we still strongly believe and firmly believe that we need to get together, uphold each other. And we need to make them understand that they cannot eliminate us from the scene and they cannot marginalize us from the scene. Afghan young women and Afghan youth, they have been bright, they have been committed, and they have this very clear and hopeful vision for Afghanistan, despite all the obstacles…

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: OK.

ZADRAN: … and that we lost Afghanistan for the moment. And despite the new rules and restrictions and regulations declared by the Taliban, we still believe that there is room and there is opportunity for us to influence them, with the help of international community, to make them understand that they cannot — they cannot ignore us and to ensure meaningful inclusion of Afghan women and Afghan youth into political and strategic decision-makings.

AMANPOUR: OK. So, that’s really — those are fighting words. They’re also words of compromise and words of hope from your generation for the future of your country.