![Two Afghan girls who have been banned from attending school find a creative outlet through painting at a small home-based arts workshop on April 11 in Kabul. Despite being denied access to higher education, these young girls are determined to develop their skills and talents. [Hamza/Salaam Times]](/cnmi_st/images/2023/04/26/41855-4-739_416.webp)
KABUL -- Banned from attending school, a group of girls in Kabul have turned to painting to avoid isolation and learn new skills.
Parwana Durrani, 21, in January established a small free workshop to teach girls who have been banned from attending schools or universities how to paint and to give them an opportunity to leave their homes.
Students attend two-hour sessions either in the morning or afternoon.
"I was also a student at a private university ... I established this small workshop in my home so girls who are deprived of going to schools and universities would have the opportunity to learn painting," she told Salaam Times.
![This painting, displayed in a small home-based art workshop in Kabul on April 11, depicts the oppressive restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan. Despite their potential and aspirations, women are denied access to higher education and employment opportunities and are confined to their homes. [Hamza/Salaam Times]](/cnmi_st/images/2023/04/26/41854-3__1_-739_416.webp)
This painting, displayed in a small home-based art workshop in Kabul on April 11, depicts the oppressive restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan. Despite their potential and aspirations, women are denied access to higher education and employment opportunities and are confined to their homes. [Hamza/Salaam Times]
Some 25 girls currently attend classes at the workshop.
"My other objective for starting this workshop ... is for girls to be able to get out of their homes and be present in society," she said.
The students have painted almost 50 pieces depicting nature, Afghanistan's historical sites, and the challenges and restrictions imposed on women, Durrani said.
Painting to combat depression
"Before I started to learn painting, I was a sophomore studying political science at a private university. After the closure of universities to girls, thousands of other students and I were forced to stay at home, facing depression," said Mariam Mohammadi, 19, one of the workshop's students.
"I tried to find something to keep me busy to escape depression and isolation at home. Fortunately, I found this painting workshop," she said.
"Right now, I am busy learning painting, and my mental health has improved compared to the past."
"No artwork or other activity can be an alternative to my higher education, but I want to learn painting until the future of girls' higher education is determined and universities re-open," Mohammadi said.
Zuhal Omid, 20, who was a junior studying literature and languages at Kabul University, also said that she had been had been suffering from serious mental and psychological problems since the ban.
"I started to learn painting two and a half months ago, which has helped my mental health," she said.
"In one of my paintings, I have depicted the challenges and restrictions of women and girls so that the world will learn about the situation of Afghan girls and women," Omid said.
Standing against restrictions
"Since I've started to learn painting, my mental and psychological problems have decreased and I have found hope for life again," said Robina Muslimzada, 22, a medical student at a private university.
"I am [part of] the new generation of Afghanistan. I will not give in to any kind of restriction or pressure imposed on me by the current rulers and will stand up to them to achieve my goals," Muslimzada said.
"No one can lock Afghan girls at home forever. If they have closed the doors of schools and universities, we will open other doors to acquire knowledge and art and will never allow them to remove girls from society," she said.
Religious scholars regard modern education as necessary for girls, saying that Islam allows women to work in every field.
"Modern education, religious education, learning the art of painting or any other knowledge that is useful for humans is mandatory for girls," said Mohammad Salem Hasani, a religious scholar in Kabul.
"Islam allows girls and women to work and participate in different social activities, and the imposed restrictions on women and girls have no religious foundation," he told Salaam Times.
Women can do well in any field. They must be civilly allowed to work and earn a decent living for their families. Painting is a very important work for women because with this work they can reflect the pains of their hearts and the society. I agree 100% with the painting of women and it needs to be worked on, but there is such a system that they have closed girls' schools, so they never allow it publicly. You have to fight the darkness.
Reply6 Comment
Poetry, writing, music, illustration, sculpting, etc., are arts for people's mental growth and intellectual development. Still, besides this, painting is also an art that has bad cultural, social, and all-around traditions in society. You get people's attention. I have heard from many painters that painting, like poetry, music, stories, and illustration, raises the voice of the poor people in society through artistic language. The message that the painters convey may not be overstated. If they do, they may face problems. In Kabul, which is currently under the rule of the Taliban, sometimes women protest and demand their rights, including work and freedom; however, the Taliban government does not want to listen to anyone's voice, or if it listens, it may change its listening style and the protests will not be well received. So if these girls learned the art of painting well and conveyed what they wanted to the responsible institutions, they would have found a good meaning.
Reply6 Comment
They have drawn beautiful pictures. Afghan girls have good talent in everything, but unfortunately, such a system prevailed that closed women's mouths. In Afghanistan, since the time of Ghazi Amanullah Khan, the movement for the defense of women and the development of education has been started several times. Unfortunately, it has been thwarted and stopped several times. Although corruption was widespread during the 20 years of the republic, much work was done in women's education. Of course, the work of 20 years was disrupted in 20 months, and if this horror continues, it is not far that soon Afghan women and girls, who make up half of the society, will completely leave the scene. The language of painting and drawing is universally recognized. Afghan girls and women can make their voices heard by the world community by taking pictures. Of course, they should make pictures that don't speak but scream because the ears of the world community are deaf. The world community no longer listens to the voice of Afghan women because the global coalition made an ugly agreement with the Mullahs in Doha and plunged Afghanistan into the pit of horror.
Reply6 Comment
The mental condition of all the girls whose schools and universities' gates have been closed is getting worse day by day, because their fate is not known as what will finally happen to them. The girls waited for a long time in order that, the gates of their schools get opened today or tomorrow, but months have passed, there is no evidence that the gates of their universities and schools will be opened for them. It is not the solution for girls to leave home and go to vocational courses and learn technical training. Every girl has the right to be educated. Anyone who forbids these girls from learning is doing injustice to these girls. We request the Islamic countries to discuss this issue with the Taliban government and resolve this problem through negotiations. The United Nations should also try to resolve this fundamental problem created by the Taliban through negotiations. This problem will not be solved by stopping humanitarian aid, but by stopping humanitarian aid, the economic situation of the Afghan people will get worsen. The United Nations should take serious action as soon as possible in the field of opening the gates of girls' schools and universities.
Reply6 Comment
Painting is an opportunity to express your feelings. It is a good art that is worth learning a hundred times. Photography is a good means if someone wants to and can't send their message directly. I see many painters in our society who have conveyed important and useful messages in the past and now through painting, but if I take myself personally, I have a lot on my mind. However, I can't say things that are in my mind to the target people face to face. If I say it, I am sure that it creates a problem for me, but if I had learned the art of painting, I would have easily conveyed the words of my heart and mind to the target people. And I am also sure that the opposite party would not have caused me any frustration. A senior friend of ours says that along with education, it is essential to learn an art. If it is carpentry, metalworking, electricity, carpet weaving, sewing clothes, painting, engraving... it is perfect. And it's good because governments are changing soon in Afghanistan. Each one deals with their interests. The current government has brought the agenda of banning women's work and education, so if girls or women have art, they will be able to come out of their houses when they need it, and they will make them entertained.
Reply6 Comment
For a long time, the doors of universities and schools have been closed to girls. Launching a new struggle will on one hand add to the benefits of the society, and on the other hand, the existing restrictions will be removed. It is not possible to react better than this because the doors of education have been closed to women for almost two years; however, the world did not do anything to satisfy the rulers of the current system to reopen girls' schools. So this action is a good step. In addition to this, other professional jobs should also be considered so that women can be self-sufficient in any field in the future.
Reply6 Comment