RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of Afghani Women is working for peace, democracy, secularism and women’s rights. On International Women’s Day, a look at this remarkable group.
In honor of International Woman’s Day, I’d like to shed a little light on a little known but important woman’s organization working in a part of the world whose women’s voices are significantly silent. RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan is the oldest organization of women struggling for peace, freedom, democracy and women’s rights in Afghanistan, in place since 1977.
Established in Kabul under the leadership of a 21 year old activist named Meena Keshwar Kamal, RAWA’s objective is to give voice to silenced Afghani women and increase their participation in the struggle for women’s human rights and for the establishment of a government with democratic and secular values.
Until 1978, the year of a Soviet coup d’etat of Afghanistan, RAWA focused on women’s rights. Afterwards, RAWA became directly involved in the war of resistance against Soviet occupation. In contrast to most “freedon fighters” , RAWA avocated democracy and secularism. As the organization grew, it began working in Pakistan as well, establishing schools, hostels, and hospitals for refugee women and children, as well as nursing and vocational courses. RAWA also secretly filmed public beatings of women by the religious police. In 1981, RAWA launched a bilingual magazine, in Urdu and English named Pavam-e-Zan or Women’s Message.
RAWA’s demonstrations against both Soviet invaders and Islamic fundamentalists has led the organization to be the constant target of terrorist threats and assasinations. In 1987, their leader Meena was assasinated in Quetta, Pakistan, by KHAD, Afghan agents of the KGB. After the 1992 overthrow of the Soviet regime, RAWA focused on fighting the ultra fundamentalist Taliban’s human right violations of Afghanistan’s people in general and their anti-woman stance particularly. Although the US’ “war on terrorism”, has now removed the Taliban regime from power, RAWA insists that the new US-backed government continues the religious fundamentalism that is the source of women’s misery.
RAWA receives no formal or financial support from any NGO’s or major democratic power, but has support from every pro-democratic Afghan group. RAWA has also reached out beyond the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, to build an international network of feminist organisations in Germany, Italy, France, UK, Australia, and Spain.
This article was published Thursday, March 8, 2007.
