Kabul: A group of Afghan men marched through the capital, Kabul, on Thursday to draw attention to women’s rights by donning head-to-toe burqas that for many people worldwide have come to symbolise the suppression of women.
The hardline Taliban forced women to wear burqas in public during their rule in the 1990s and concern is growing in Afghanistan and among its allies that gains for women made sin-ce the 2001 US-led ouster of the Taliban are at risk. The men marched under a leaden sky, with the bright blue burqas falling over their heads down to muddy sneakers and boots.
The demonstrators, associated with a group called Afghan Peace Volunteers, said they organised the march ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
“Our authorities will be celebrating International Women’s Day in big hotels, but we wanted to take it to the streets,” said activist Basir, 29.
“One of the best ways to understand how women feel is to walk around and wear a burqa,” he said.
The burqa covers the entire body, with a mesh fabric window to see thro-ugh. Though a symbol of Taliban treatment of women, it remains common in many parts of Afghan-istan.
The march by about 20 men drew mixed reactions. Traffic policeman Javed Haidari, 24, looked bemused and slightly annoyed.
“What’s the point of this?” Haidari asked. “All of the women in my family wear burqas. I wouldn’t let them go out without one,” he added.
A 2013 UN report noted that most violence against women goes underreported, particularly in rural areas. Several of the men said wearing a burqa felt “like a prison”. They carried signs reading, “Don’t tell women what to wear, you should cover your eyes”. However, one Medina Ali, 16, wearing a burqa says “We don’t need anyone to defend our rights.”
