Charmaghz mobile library, a non-profit based in Kabul, has temporarily halted its operation to protest against the Taliban’s decision banning women from attending universities and working in NGOs.
Over the past few days, the Taliban have imposed bans on women’s university education, closed all educational centers for female students, and banned women from working for national and international NGOs on Saturday.
Charmaghz was founded by Freshta Karim, an Oxford University alumnus four years ago and started operating. This Kabul-based non-profit turned old buses into mobile libraries and offered the children the space to read, think, and ask questions daily.
Freshta Karim on her Facebook page on Monday, December 26 wrote that the Taliban’s decision to ban women from working in non-governmental organizations is “unfair” and Charmaghz library will not operate until the ban is lifted and women are allowed to work.
Ms. Freshta Karim has asked the families to explain to their children the reason for halting the library operation and to continue reading books with them at home.
“Each one of us in the Charmaghz team, with all the pain, continues to read books and also wishes to create a new story with you for this country, maybe the story of equality and justice.”, Freshta Karim added.
Freshta Karim further wrote, “Along with children, we wanted to write a new story for our country .”
These recent decisions by the Taliban have ignited global reactions. Several countries, international organizations and institutions have condemned these decisions.
