Thursday, February 26, 2015

Symbolic demonstration by Afghan girl to protest against harassment




An Afghan girl protested against street harassment of women and girls in the country through a symbolic demonstration by wearing an strange outfit which is apparently made of metal.
The photos went viral on social media websites on Thursday which purportedly shows a young girl walking in the streets of Kabul and is surrounded by dozens of men.
There have been mixed reactions by online social media users in the country with majority opposing with the act of the girl, while ceratin people saying that such acts are organized with an aim to implement the western culture in the country.
Almost all Afghan women experience various forms of street harassment every day in their life, but it’s not just a daily experience to be forgotten a few seconds later; it leaves long lasting scars on women’s spirit and sense of confidence which discourages and limits women’s participation in public life, according to a report by Stop Street Harassment Organization.
However, due to the predominant culture of “shame” and “honor” and high social stigma attached to issues of sexual harassment, Afghan women often do not talk about their experiences of street harassment. The scar remains invisible and women continue to suffer, generation after generation.
This comes as a set of photographs have gone viral on social media websites in Afghanistan earlier in December last year which showed a young lady walking in the streets of Kabul city with bare legs.
The young woman was reportedly spotted in Karte-3 area in the western part of Kabul city but there are no reports regarding the exact date and time the photographs were taken.
The photographs were widely shared on social media, specifically on Facebook and Twitter which are commonly used in Afghanistan.

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