Memo banning Afghan girls singing prompts IAmMySong protest

Kabul - Afghan education ministry memo banning girls 12 years old and older from singing at public school functions is causing a social media stir

A memo from Afghanistan’s education ministry banning girls 12 years old and older from singing at school functions has been causing a stir on social media, prompting the authorities to say it was a mistake and that its authors had misunderstood the objective.

Still, (hash)IAmMySong is gaining traction on Twitter, with some Afghan girls singing their favourite tunes for the camera and calls popping up for petitions to oppose the directive.

The controversy comes as women’s rights activists and civil society groups are fighting to ensure that fragile human rights gains made over the last 20 years in Afghanistan — since the US-led invasion ousted the Taleban regime — take centre stage in the peace talks underway with the insurgents. It also shows how the rights of girls and women are under threat from conservatives on both sides of the protracted conflict.

“This is Talebanisation from inside the republic,” Sima Samar, an Afghan human rights activist of nearly 40 years, said on Friday. When they ruled the country, the Taliban — notorious for their repression of women — denied girls the right to education. Music, except religious songs, was also banned, as was television.

The memo, which went to all school districts in Kabul, was rescinded, said ministry spokeswoman Najiba Arian, insisting that its authors had misunderstood the purpose. A new memo was subsequently sent, saying music groups for both secondary school girls and boys are banned.

The objective was not to ban girls singing but to prevent boys and girls from participating in public events that could spread the coronavirus, she said. Afghanistan has recorded more than 55,000 cases of the virus and 2,451 deaths but testing is inadequate and the real numbers are believed to be far greater.

The hashtag campaign was started by Ahmad Starmast, the founder of Afghanistan’s Institute of Music. It has had over 600,000 clicks, according to Haroon Baluch of BytesforAll, a Pakistan-based rights organisation that monitors internet traffic. He also said the trend is building.

Sarmast said he began the (hash)IAmMySong to “let authorities know that the people of Afghanistan oppose this decision and they will stand for the rights of the children, whether boys or girls.”

The memo does not mention the pandemic or any health concerns. Rather it clearly states that girls older than 12 cannot perform in any public events and that singing at such events is strictly forbidden. It goes on to say that only female teachers can teach music to girls older than 12.