The Italian Embassy for Afghanistan, currently operating from Doha, has unveiled a “red bench” as part of a global initiative by Italy’s Foreign Ministry to raise awareness of gender-based violence and discrimination, a gesture that carries heightened significance in the context of Afghanistan.The symbolic bench was inaugurated by Riccardo Guariglia, Secretary General of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the presence of Ambassador Sabrina Ugolini and embassy staff. The initiative is part of a campaign, spearheaded by Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, to place a red bench at every Italian diplomatic mission around the world.According to the embassy, the red bench serves as a symbol of the void left in society when a woman falls victim to femicide — and as a public reminder of the ongoing fight against gender-based discrimination.“We must sit on those benches and give our support to women against violence and all forms of discrimination, starting with Afghanistan,” Mr. Tajani said in a recent statement.The installation comes as women and girls in Afghanistan face some of the harshest restrictions in the world. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have barred women from education beyond sixth grade, prohibited university attendance, and eliminated nearly all avenues for participation in public life.“The red bench takes on particular meaning in the Afghan context, where women and girls suffer daily violations of their rights and personal freedoms,” the embassy said in a statement posted to X.Rights groups and international observers have condemned the Taliban’s policies as a form of gender apartheid, warning that the erasure of women from society is both a humanitarian crisis and a fundamental breach of international law. (ICE Doha)

Fonte notizia: Amu TV