A safe place where many Afghan women, fleeing difficult family situations, can start living again.
Created by the Provincial Reconstruction Team with funds from the Ministry of Defense and inaugurated just on the day when worldwide Women's Day is celebrated, "this beautiful avenue" - said Mahboba Jamshidi, head of the Province's Women's Affairs Department of Herat - "it will facilitate access to a place where women can meet to exchange opinions or simply chat, or even sip tea and let their children play".
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the commander of the Regional Command West, General Manlio Scopigno, the governor of the province of Herat Sayed Fazullah Wahidi and the officials of the Italian cooperation for the development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who, in this circumstance, donated and planted trees. A simple gesture but full of meanings, synonymous with growth, future and hope.
"The rebirth of the country is above all in the hands of women" - affirmed General Scopigno - "and also symbolically passes through these moments that see Italy as a protagonist in promoting this kind of initiative, aimed at supporting the role of women as a subject active within the Afghan society "." The friendship of Italians and ISAF's support for the Afghan people and women in particular will never fail "- concluded the general -" because the values at the base of our daily operations are based on respect and understanding of local cultures, customs and traditions ".
Meanwhile the commitment of the "Female Engagement Team" continues, the structure of the Italian contingent consisting of female staff and created to interface and dialogue with local women whose social status is still difficult.
Source: Italian contingent in Afghanistan
