F e a t u r e s Connecting with the by Flight Lieutenant ‘Charlie’ Mee
light Lieutenant Mee is taking the lead in an initiative to reach out to Afghan women living in the poverty- stricken desert communities of Lashkar Gar near Camp Bastion. Here she explains why she thinks it is so important.
I am working jointly with American military personnel from the nearby US base, Camp Leatherneck. The idea is for us to meet and speak with ordinary Afghan women to find out the concerns they have and what help they would like from us in order to improve their communities.
Because of the cultural restrictions Afghan women are under, it’s been impossible for my male predecessors to engage with the women. Women rarely leave the family compound, let alone their local village. What I am able to do is meet and talk to them in a way that’s not been done before.
Together with some of the American female medics and interpreters, we have recently been able to secure permission from the village elders to talk to some of their womenfolk. We were allowed inside the privacy of a mud-walled compound to meet women from a small village. We asked them about their health and found out the sorts of medical problems they were suffering from so that we could return soon with the right medicines to treat them. While we were there we also asked about education. The women said they wanted it for themselves and their children but that it was their husbands who must decide.
The women live in the most basic conditions and many are either pregnant or have just given birth. They suffer from irritated skin and rashes, mild fevers, coughs and colds. Their level of knowledge about basic personal hygiene and health is incredibly low. They are not even aware that they need to drink water after childbirth in order to produce breast milk.
These women are providing us with a good insight into the lives of those living in the surrounding area. The important thing for us now, is to come back with the right medicines and to hopefully stay engaged. It is hoped that in future we will be able to hold small, regular meetings in different locations. Familiar faces are important – if the women get to know and recognise us, their trust builds up.
I believe it is vital to engage with the women. Although they’re very restricted within their society they hold a lot of sway in their own homes and in their own small communities. They can influence what the men do and in particular help
www.raf-ff.org.uk
form the opinions and actions of the young men of fighting age who might otherwise be encouraged to join the Taleban.
I was deployed here from No 1 RAF Force Protection Wing HQ at Wittering. This is my second, six month tour of duty in Afghanistan and before that I served in Basra. During my last tour I helped coordinate the training and development of Afghan National Police and in my current role I regularly meet with local Afghans – usually male – to find out what they need to make their villages better and safer.
Of course improving the security situation is vital, but longer term it’s about building a successful, prosperous future for these people, so they have the confidence to stand on their own feet, independent of the Taleban. Ultimately it would be wonderful if we could provide schools, basic healthcare and alternative power, all run and maintained under the direction of the local elders.
Through building up relationships we also hope to learn more about this area; who lives here, who the leaders are, how they make a living and of course any potential links to the Taleban.
The most rewarding thing about my job is that I feel we are making a difference. These people have nothing. By talking to them we are finding out what they actually want and helping them to build a sustainable community. This is more than just charity; it’s about providing a successful future for these women and their families.
Spring 2010 9
Women of Afghanistan F
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48