the 2005 parliamentary elections. Accord- ing to Sweeta, security for women contin- ues to be a primary concern in addition to poverty. As an anti-poverty, empowerment strategy, Women for Women – Afghanistan is piloting a greenhouse project in Parowan that will teach women to grow cucumbers, a role accepted and supported by male com- munity members.


Prior to joining Women for Women Inter- national, Sweeta served as an assistant for


the Chair of the Loya Jirga Commission in forming the interim administration of Af- ghanistan; she traveled with the delegation to Belgium for talks with donors and inter- national representatives in 2001. She has also volunteered for International Human Rights Law Group and the International Rescue Committee. Sweeta recently gradu- ated from Science and Education Universi- ty of Afghanistan with a B.A. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Virginia, USA.


Between 1996 until 2001 what was life like for any woman who was in Afghanistan? How was their day, what did they do?


1996 was the time of the Taliban, a horrid time – all women isolated, ignored. Forced to say inside, no jobs, no school, full of fear. Also the men were in fear of their lives.


Forced to prayer, grow a beard and mous- tache and forbidden to trip or cut their beards. Women had to wear the burka.


One day, while out walking with my hus- band, walking shoulder to shoulder along the street. We were stopped by the Taliban, asking whether I was this man’s girlfriend, and my husband was asked if he was my boyfriend – they wanted to find out if we


January/February 2012 13


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