Italy: Several Afghan citizens in Rome held a protest against the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and recent incidents in Herat, chanting “Education, Work, Freedom” against the Taliban.
Afghan citizens in Italy gathered on Saturday, June 14, in Rome, the capital of Italy, to protest the situation of Afghan women under Taliban rule, as well as recent violent incidents in Herat Province, raising the slogan “Education, Work, Freedom.”
The Afghan community in Rome organized the demonstration to oppose Taliban policies, aiming to draw the attention of public opinion and European institutions to what they call a “silent crisis of women’s rights in Afghanistan.”
Participants in the protest emphasized that the wide-ranging restrictions imposed on women and girls in recent years have severely affected the lives of millions, depriving them of education, employment, personal freedoms, and social participation.
They also referred to recent incidents in Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Kabul, calling on the international community to pay serious attention to the situation of women in Afghanistan.
One of the organizers of the protest said the demonstration was an opportunity for the voice of the Afghan people to be heard alongside other humanitarian and social demands. He added, “At a time when an official invitation has been sent to the Taliban for talks in Brussels regarding Afghan migrants, we are seriously concerned that such steps may lead to the normalization and legitimization of a group that has deprived girls of education, removed women from public life, and restricted many fundamental rights of citizens.”
He said participants joined the protest to raise their voices to the European Union and the international community, urging them to consider the real situation of the Afghan people, especially women, in their decisions.
One female participant said, “Today, Afghan girls are not only deprived of education and work, but in many cases, even their right to choose their own lives and future has been taken away. We stand here to remind the world that Afghan women have not been forgotten.”
Another participant said, “We are thousands of kilometers away from Afghanistan, but our hearts beat every day with women and girls who have been deprived of their most basic rights. Our presence here is an attempt to ensure their voices are not lost in the noise of politics and global interests.”
The protesters called on the international community not to remove Afghan women’s rights from its agenda and to prioritize the rights of women and girls in political and diplomatic engagement with the Taliban.
They stressed that such protests will not be limited to the current gathering and that further large demonstrations will be held in Rome in the coming days.
The organizers also emphasized that recent tragic events in Herat and other provinces have highlighted, more than ever, the urgent need for international attention to the situation of women in Afghanistan.
According to them, what Afghan women are experiencing today is not merely a set of scattered restrictions, but a clear example of “gender apartheid,” a system in which women and girls are systematically deprived of fundamental rights, equal opportunities, and active participation in society.
They urged the international community, human rights organizations, and European governments not to remain silent and to take a clear and responsible stance in support of the rights and freedoms of Afghan women.
In recent days, reports have emerged about the European Union’s decision to invite a Taliban delegation to Brussels for talks on deported migrants.
Although the European Union has stated that engagement with the Taliban does not mean recognition, these reports have sparked widespread reactions from human rights and women’s rights activists.
