SAN FRANCISCO -- Brutal gang rapes and violence continue to keep Afghan women living in fear, said Suraya Parlika, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee who has risked beatings, jail and even death in her quest to improve womentary election.
The 61-year-old women's rights advocate spoke to a modest turnout at the council's downtown San Francisco offices about the obstacles Afghan women currently face.
"If elected I will try to make sure the legislative branch recognizes women's rights. I want to make sure the laws passed reflect women's freedom," she told the crowd through her interpreter, Nassey Pourfathi. "As a voice in the parliament, I want to stand up against oppression and make sure women participate in every commission."
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Even with significant voter turnout during the election, women continue to face discrimination and coercion at the polls. With the election slated for either mid-April or May, Parlika spread the message of her goals to improve the quality of life for women and create a secure and stable environment for the Afghan people.
Along with being a champion of women's rights, Parlika is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, as part of the 1000 Women for Peace organization. Started in March 2003, the organization aims to promote peace through women working collectively across the globe. Parlika is just one of the 1000 Women for Peace who has dedicated her life and work to education, disarmament and humanitarian causes.
As head of the All Afghan Women's Union, Parlika works to improve access to education and skills training for women, with her focus on computer skills and English courses, she said.
The women's union was formed to oppose the oppression and violence that surround women's lives in Afghanistan.
"Two big steps are the right to take jobs and participate in elections," Parlika said of the issues she intends to focus on.
Parlika has been an outspoken advocate for Afghan women. Beginning in 2002, when she participated in a commission of 18 men and three women who created guidelines for the election process and regulations for how the government would run once officials were elected.
The results of the commission became the Loya Jirga, or council of elders, who represent the different constituencies of Afghanistan.
Parlika was awarded the Medal of Honor from Afghan President Hamid Karzai after receiving the maximum number of votes in support, more than any other of the 500 delegates representing the Loya Jirga.
Although women enjoy the freedoms that followed the removal of the Taliban regime, there is still a long way to go for women in Afghanistan, Parlika said.
Parlika got her undergraduate degree from Kabul University and then spent four year in Kieb, Ukraine studying economics, earning a master's degree. In 1978, she was elected chairwoman of the Democratic Organization of Afghan Women. Her position brought her torture and jail time in the Pol-e-Charkhi Prison.
When released, she accepted the same position as Afghan women chair until 1986 when she became the head of the Afghan Red Crescent. She was fired from that post when the mujuhadeen entered Kabul in 1992, according to a release by the World Affairs Council.
Mary Falvey, trustee of the World Affairs Council and evening moderator, said the Parlika's cause translates across borders.
"In comparison to the situation in Afghanistan we don't have to worry about the rape and the violence Suraya speaks of, but when it comes to our civil liberties there is always room for improvement. There is always the glass ceiling and other obstacles to overcome," Falvey said.
