A group of ladies gathers in a basement classroom. They gaze at each other a bit nervously, small smiles creeping on their faces. They are all new to this country, yet something about this gathering makes them feel more at home. For these are no ordinary ladies. These are former refugees and immigrants from Afghanistan. They are also seniors, often the most overlooked group of people who arrive in our nation. Seniors have a particularly tough time immigrating to the United States because they are so entrenched in their former culture. They tend to be more isolated, not venturing out of their homes quite as often as they might, for all sorts of reasons. English isn’t often spoken or understood, hindering their ability to communicate with their new neighbors. Family members are working or in school, leaving these women with no one to translate or guide them to destinations. Social circles are small or nonexistent. They don’t seem to have much of an opportunity to weave themselves into …
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Let Afghan Girls Learn
It’s that time of the year again, when children of all ages put away their summer memories and pack their school bags with new notebooks and pens. They’ll receive a Chromebook in homeroom and sit in clean, well-lit classrooms, at laminated desks or tables. For some, it’ll be a new experience, entering kindergarten. Others will enter their last year as seniors, contemplating which college they’ll go to, or maybe a trade school. Now imagine if half those children were told they couldn’t go to school, couldn’t go to college, couldn’t be trained in a trade. What if half of those parents couldn't allow their children from attending school because they faced similar restrictions? This is the state of education for females in Afghanistan. Girls seeking to elevate themselves through education no longer have the right to do so. The de facto Taliban regime waffled on how education was to be delivered to females. First, it was segregated classrooms. That was followed by the elimination …
Dismantled Rights
During the US-led NATO military presence in Afghanistan (2001-2021), the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) advocated for the rights of women into law. While these rights were met with skepticism, if not outright hostility, with certain segments of Afghan society and the Afghan parliament, it was a promising way forward. The Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW LAW) was issued by decree by President Hamid Karzai in 2009 and by President Ashraf Ghani in 2018. Injustices such as domestic violence, forced marriage, immolation, forced prostitution, and many others, became illegal. Women and girls became free to pursue an education, enjoy fresh air and socialize in parks, travel wherever and whenever they pleased. School-aged girls’ dreams came true as young women graduating from university. That all came to a halt on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Like water dripping on stone, the rights women had come to enjoy eroded. Shortly after the …
The Cost of an Education
In Western society, education is often taken for granted. School is part of growing up. Kids look forward to socializing with friends, and taking advantage of a myriad of educational opportunities and extracurricular activities. Buildings are spacious, have running water, windows, heating, and safety features. Classrooms are equipped with the latest technology. Girls and boys have the equal right to learn. After elementary and high school, a college education or trade schools are viable options. It’s something that most parents in the West don’t think about as they wave goodbye to their children riding that yellow school bus in the mornings. But in Afghanistan, this is another matter entirely. Infrastructure to support schools is severely lacking, especially in remote parts of the country. Some schools have been heavily damaged by the ongoing conflict in the country or terrorist attacks. There aren’t enough resources to refurbish damaged schools. Children attend classes in …
Steps Refugees Can Take If They Are Experiencing Discrimination In The Workplace
Refugees that are working in the United States have the same rights that other workers do. Legal status doesn’t matter when it comes to workplace protections for workers. All workers have the right to work in an environment where they are safe and not subjected to discrimination or harassment. Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act guarantees workers the right to work without being discriminated against by an employer because of their race, religion, sex, gender, or where they are from. Any refugees who experience workplace discrimination have the right to file a complaint against that employer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC is a federal agency so they can investigate any employer in any state. And in 44 states the EEOC shares information with the state labor authorities. That means the employer may have also have to face a state investigation based on what the EEOC finds in its investigation. Examples Of Workplace Discrimination Refugees working …
American Dream
Many Afghans looked to the United States as a haven. After twenty years of serving alongside Americans, from the military to businesses, non-government organizations and educational institutions, expectations after Afghanistan’s regime change ran high. Surely the people with whom they worked would offer immigration opportunities in the land of the free. 88,500 Afghan citizens were fortunate to be airlifted out of the country, arriving in America with humanitarian parole benefits and a safe, secure chance to rebuild their lives. Others were not. Afghan refugees travel up to 16,000 miles, mostly by foot, to the United States because they are desperate. They have no choice. Fleeing one’s home is not a decision taken lightly. It means leaving behind everything familiar, everyone you once knew, often including your family. The route is perilous. According to the United Nations, 1,250 Afghan migrants have died trying to make the journey to freedom since 2021. Countries such as …