First women's driving school in Kabul temporarily closed following Taliban takeover
Record ID:
1638842
First women's driving school in Kabul temporarily closed following Taliban takeover
- Title: First women's driving school in Kabul temporarily closed following Taliban takeover
- Date: 27th September 2021
- Summary: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (SEPTEMBER 25, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN'S DRIVING SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR, NILAB DURRANI, DRIVING THROUGH THE STREETS OF KABUL DURRANI CLIMBING UP THE STAIRS TO HER OFFICE DURRANI TALKING TO A MAN DURRANI LOOKING AT HER PHONE DURRANI LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF DURRANI WORKING AT HER DESK (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) WOMEN'S DRIVING SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR, NILAB DURRANI, SAYING: "Since the previous government collapsed, we have not registered a new student till now, and also no one has contacted us to get registration. The previously admitted students are calling us and asking if they can join their classes, but the only issue for them is they are worried about their security. They say that if they come to the (driving) centre, somebody may bother them or question them." VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF DRIVING SCHOOL OFFICE DURRANI LOOKING AT HER PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) WOMEN'S DRIVING SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR, NILAB DURRANI, SAYING: "I wanted to resume the activities of my centre as it is my only source of income. I contacted the officials of the new government and they told me that if you want to go out working, we do not guarantee your safety, because our government is not well established." VARIOUS OF DURRANI HOLDING UP A DRIVING SCHOOL CERTIFICATE (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) WOMEN'S DRIVING SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR, NILAB DURRANI, SAYING: "Sometimes people who wear military uniform, or have guns in their hands, are bothering us by saying: "Why are you alone? Where are you going? Why don't you have a MAHRAM (family member who a female cannot marry) with yourself?" We are trying our best to cooperate with them because their own leaders are saying that, till now, our government is not well established and most of our military personnel are not completely in our control. So, we are optimistic that things will get better in future." EXTERIOR OF DRIVING SCHOOL OFFICE DURRANI COMING DOWN FROM HER OFFICE
- Embargoed: 11th October 2021 05:50
- Keywords: Afghanistan Kabul Taliban conflict driving
- Location: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- City: KABUL, AFGHANISTAN
- Country: Afghanistan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWHUA87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Twenty-three-year-old Nilab Durrani sits in her women's driving school office in a despondent mood.
"Since the previous government collapsed, we have not registered a new student till now, and also no one has contacted us to get registration," she says.
"The previously-admitted students are calling us and asking if they can join their classes, but the only issue for them is they are worried about their security. They say that if they come to the (driving) centre, somebody may bother them or question them."
Durrani opened the women's driving institution around a year ago. Women were able to learn from female instructors and the driving school was the first of its kind in Afghanistan.
Durrani says Afghan women were keen to learn to drive, but struggled given that only males taught in other driving schools. Many women were barred by family members from being taught by men.
With some help from UN Women, Durrani set up her centre, where she not only taught a lot of students but also recruited two female driving instructors so that they could also earn a living.
She had planned to open a second branch in Kabul in August, and another branch in Kandahar by the end of this year. But these plans were dashed with the unexpected arrival of the Taliban in August.
"I wanted to resume the activities of my centre as it is my only source of income. I contacted the officials of the new government and they told me that if you want to go out working, we do not guarantee your safety, because our government is not well established," Durrani said.
Durrani says that the day after the Taliban took over, some of their militants came to her office, and removed the iron signboard outside. She also claims she was asked to close the office.
For now, the office has closed temporarily, but Durrani says there is still hope that international organisations will come to the rescue and persuade the Taliban to let women like her continue their jobs and businesses.
She says she is praying that she is not forced to permanently close down her office in the future. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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