UN condemns Taliban bans on women, threatens to suspend critical aid

a reply to: quintessentone

I certainly hope so. I always tell my friends to never be too troubled by all the things we can't fix... just fix the one's you can.

If there's one thing we can count on, it's that it won't be our so-called 'leaders' that make the world better... that will fall to us and our children.

originally posted by: Maxmars
a reply to: MykeNukem
Please remember, mine is just one opinion; based roughly upon my own observations. As with any such analysis, a great deal of internal compromise takes place. I wanted to explore a narrative 'less travelled,' so to speak.

I didn't think that was the narrative less travelled.

I never believe MSM or Government as my first stance.

originally posted by: Maxmars

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Maxmars

Oh, the evil Save the Children. What swine, eh?

Wow. You really want to make this about a favorite charity?

Does that mean the others don't figure into the equation? Or does it mean that they are saintly and beyond inclusion in the body of NGOs operating in Afghanistan? No..., really, I'm trying to figure out what your meaning is when repeatedly pointing to them and maybe(?) implying that they should be specifically isolated from the general term "NGO."

Not at all. You called these humanitarian aid organisations including Save the Children "make believe entities".

I simply asked you how so?

Quite a straightforward question.

Here is a useful update from the IRC:

www.rescue.org... XO2eZlJ38bmLpPgLLnPWfbToGUZYBoC93wQAvD_BwE


"More than 3,000 out of the 8,000 people we employ in Afghanistan are women and many of the recipients of our work in the country are women and girls. For us, our ability to deliver services relies on women staff at all levels of our organisation. The exclusion of women from humanitarian service delivery will have catastrophic consequences for the Afghan people because our services depend on women workers.We’re working hard to find solutions to continue our work. "

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2

Not at all. You called these humanitarian aid organisations including Save the Children "make believe entities".

I simply asked you how so?

Quite a straightforward question.

Certainly, I missed the point.

I say "make believe" because they are "corporate" entities. They are comprised of volunteers (whose hearts and intention are undoubtedly good) led by people making over 6 or even 7 figures of income in an office where the main efforts is to get more money, and better PR for the organization.

I say make believe because NGOs, no matter the facade, exist only because of the government's (or authority's) support, funding, and recognition... it literally doesn't matter about their doctrinal "goals." NGO's are not charities. They are allowed to be treated as charities in accepting money (501c), while operating in ways that charities don't - as political arms of global agendas. Any discussion about what NGO are revolves around an "appearance" and a 'circumstance" of public relations... more to my point you can see that their noble goals will become subordinate to their public relations efforts to virtue signal for attention about their standing.

If I posture about my sincere dedication in the noble goal of helping you, then I contrive a circumstance to threaten to stop helping you... where is the sincere effort then? I question the reality of any entity that uses service as a wedge to force change where it is not wanted. And I generally chafe when they become tied to virtue which is so easy to subvert.

I say make believe because I have yet to find an NGO not involved in political theater.

I understand the exception you take. It is understandable. And I grant that there may be a blessed exception... and maybe "Save the Children" is ... but I used to think similarly of UNICEF... when I had a lesser understanding of how 'exploitation' can be made to work.

Anyway, thanks for clarifying... the characterization was not intended to be an offense against the stated 'goal' of any particular NGO; just as an indicator that these NGOs are things that we can't simply accept at face value, they hardly ever are...

a reply to: Maxmars

Thanks, I see your point.

Some posters seem to think that financial aid is going to the Taliban rather than to ordinary Afghans in the form of food, medicines etc.

But yes, some NGOs are indeed far from saintly.

a reply to: Oldcarpy2

I did try to address the idea that helping an NGO is the same as helping the Taliban...it's a circular trap.

But then, I don't know if the Taliban funds any NGO's ... in which case I would be equally suspicious.

I suspect some NGO's might be hideously corrupt. But this is just speculation, I make no direct accusations.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Maxmars

Thanks, I see your point.

Some posters seem to think that financial aid is going to the Taliban rather than to ordinary Afghans in the form of food, medicines etc.

But yes, some NGOs are indeed far from saintly.

Probably a constant battle to get it to those in need.

Bribery, kickbacks, black market, etc.

a reply to: Annee

Probably so, sadly.

I never understood the reasons for us getting militarily involved there.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Annee

Probably so, sadly.

I never understood the reasons for us getting militarily involved there.

Well, being a woman -- I'm gonna support any effort to remove oppression against women. (although, money/power/control is always the real answer).

IMO -- global politics is a reality. Has been for a long time. We just play this game it isn't.

a reply to: Annee

Agreed, I would not like to see you silenced.

Imagine how much Afghanistan has forsaken by refusing to give a voice to half their population.

originally posted by: Maxmars
a reply to: Annee

Agreed, I would not like to see you silenced.

Imagine how much Afghanistan has forsaken by refusing to give a voice to half their population.

This is how long I've been following Women's oppression in Afghanistan.

Mavis Leno has been the chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation's Campaign to Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan since 1997.

en.wikipedia.org...