Link to Article: ‘Music is my life’: ban on schoolgirls singing in Afghanistan met with protest
In a letter to school boards last week, which was leaked to the media, Kabul’s Education Department said girls aged 12 and above would no longer be able to sing at public events, unless the events were attended solely by women. The letter also stipulated that girls couldn’t be trained by a male music teacher. The reason given for the decision was to allow students to focus on their studies. But the announcement caused widespread outrage, with many accusing the government of sympathising with the Taliban, and of promoting gender discrimination. In protest, women from across the country, including many prominent Afghan leaders, recorded videos of themselves singing and posted these on social media using the hashtag #IAmMySong.
This week the ministry appeared to be rolling back on the decision, saying it is investigating the ban, announced by the director of education in the capital, Kabul. A statement from the ministry said the letter did not reflect its position and that it would assess the issue. Women across Afghanistan express themselves through music, with many using it as a coping mechanism in times of violence and war. Prominent singers, musicians, and dancers practice their art nationwide.
Many report receiving threats or being asked by their own families to stop. Maram Abdallah, 18, a pianist who is about to graduate from Afghanistan’s National Institute of Music, said she has had to fight her family’s conservative attitudes to be able to play music. Abdallah has performed around the world, including in the UK and Australia, and she dreams of one day becoming a solo pianist. During the Taliban rule of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, music was outlawed nationwide and girls weren’t allowed to attend school.