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A demonstration was organised by an Austrian political party here in solidarity with women and the LGBTQIA+ community in Afghanistan, which are witnessing increasing restrictions and discrimination under the Taliban regime.
The demonstration was mainly organised by the Austria political party "Links" (Leftists) in cooperation with Afghan diaspora organizations such as AKIS, Katib culture and sport association, Afghan global civil society organization (AGCSO), and also SoS which is an Austrian platform against deportation. Around 150 people including Afghan diaspora and Austrians participated in the demo, many holding placards that read: 'Solidarity with women and LGBTQIA + in Afghanistan', 'Afghan Women Matter', 'My clothes - my decision', 'No business with the Taliban', 'Asylum is a human rights', 'What about Afghan Women Rights' and 'Your borders kill human beings' Speaking during the demonstration, Gawhar Musleh from AKIS association said: "You know why we are here. We are here to raise our voice against violence against women, especially against Afghan women." The new situation in Afghanistan and the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban brought the lives of Afghan women in danger and under new threats, Musleh said. "War brings inequality and the danger that families sell their daughters, they are subject to domestic violence. The sudden change in Afghanistan had sudden consequences to women of Afghanistan. For example, the prevention of Afghan girls and women from education and work. We must ignore the danger to women's lives in Afghanistan," Musleh added. A demonstrator said that they are protesting for the rights of Afghan women "We are all here to fight for the rights of Afghan women. Why do we demonstrate in Vienna? Because the Austrian government fought the terrorist Taliban. Now they left the country to the Taliban to control the whole country. The terrorist group control the country and the west closed their eyes on the Afghan people," she said. An Afghan woman highlighted the atrocities women are facing in Afghanistan under Taliban. "Women are beaten up on the streets in Afghanistan by the Taliban. We don't accept that. The equality we enjoy freedom here but women in Afghan suffer. Millions of people do not go to school this is a violation of their rights. Women in Afghanistan have fought for their rights for very long time, they were active but the women are prevented by the ideology of the Taliban," she said. The Taliban seized power in August and recently confirmed that while secondary schools were reopening, only boys would be returning to the classroom. Women teachers in the country are also unable to return to work. The Taliban has been accused of backing down on its pledge to protect women's rights and media freedom. On Sunday, the Taliban have urged female journalists to follow a dress code and called on TV stations to stop showing soap operas featuring women, sparking fears over women's rights and media freedom. (ANI)
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