Barcelona shows solidarity with Afghan women, telling them they are 'not alone'

"You are not alone. Solidarity with Afghan women," was the message of hundreds of people gathered in Barcelona in solidarity with the Afghan population after the Talibans returned to power. 

The demonstration in Plaça de Sant Jaume on Wednesday evening was organized by Ca la Dona, a feminist association in Barcelona, and dozens of other organizations joined. 

It was arranged to express "sadness" and "helplessness" at the Taliban's return to power, which culminated in Kabul on Sunday.

Moreover, to send a message of solidarity especially to Afghan women, who were banished from life in society in the regime pre-2001.

"I am not free while another woman is a prisoner, even if their chains and mine are different,” could be read on some posters of support.

In a manifesto, the entities expressed "total rejection" of the violence against the Afghan population, which is specifically “exercised over women's bodies."

They were also highly critical of the U.S. intervention of recent years and demanded that resources have to be used to improve the lives of Afghans, “not to use resources to sell arms to the Taliban or to any other organization.”

They demand the Catalan and Spanish governments and the international community to recognize the political asylum of any person fleeing from Afghanistan.

Additionally, the Catalan Cooperation Fund, a non-profit organization that allocates part of its budget to finance actions for international solidarity, demands a "strong response" to the humanitarian and refugee crisis in Afghanistan. 

Nadia Ghulam

Writer Nadia Ghulam, an Afghan refugee living in Catalonia, described watching the rise of the Taliban in her home country as “torture” in a recent interview with the Catalan News Agency. 

Ghulam leads the Bridges for Peace association from Badalona, an organisation that helps 35 girls in Afghanistan go to school and read.

She sends messages of hope to the young people who feel they have lost everything.

Catalan president welcomes refugees

Catalan president Pere Aragonès spoke with the head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, on Monday and offered Catalonia to welcome as many refugees from Afghanistan as needed. 

Aragonés explained to the Catalan News Agency that Catalonia is open to help with the "humanitarian emergency" caused by the Taliban’s control in the country.

The president also calls for speeding up all procedures to recognize the right to asylum of refugees in Catalonia: one of the demands of the demonstrators' manifesto.