Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan ('Association for the Protection of Women') was a women's organization in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, founded in 1928.Julie Billaud:
Kabul Carnival: Gender Politics in Postwar Afghanistan
' It was the first women's organization in Afghanistan. It was founded by the king's sister

Princess Sahira Begum Seraj al-Banat Princess Sahira Begum Siraj Al Banat or Bibi Gul, mostly known as just Seraj al-Banat (born 1902), was a royal princess of Afghanistan. She was born to Habibullah Khan (r. 1901-1919) and Sarwar Sultana Begum, and the sister of king Amanullah Khan ...

and Queen

Soraya Tarzi Soraya Tarzi (Pashto/Dari: ملکه ثريا; November 24, 1899 – April 20, 1968) was the first queen consort of Afghanistan as the wife of King Amanullah Khan. She played a major part in the modernization reforms of Amanullah Khan, particula ...

, and was chaired by the king's sister,

Princess Kubrah Princess Shah Gul Jahan also known as Kubra Jahan Begum but commonly called Princess Kubrah or Princess Kobra (fl. 1928 – ?), was a royal princess of Afghanistan. She was born to Habibullah Khan (r. 1901–1919) and one of his 44 wives, Sitara ...

. It was founded as a part of the king and queen's modernization project to reform society, a policy which included the emancipation of women. Princess Kubrah was to "coordinate, supervise, and guide" its work concerning women’s liberation, and its office in Kabul had twelve active members to assist her. Its purpose was to encourage women to use the new reformed laws in women's rights introduced by King

Amanullah Khan Ghazi Amanullah Khan (Pashto and Dari: ; 1 June 1892 – 25 April 1960) was the sovereign of Afghanistan from 1919, first as Emir and after 1926 as King, until his abdication in 1929. After the end of the Third Anglo-Afghan War in August 1919, ...

, such as the ban on polygamy and the new marriage and divorce law, and to enforce the policy of women's emancipation introduced by the government. Women were encouraged to refuse the veil and gender segregation in the example of the Queen, to educate themselves and become professionals in order to contribute to society. The organization had an office in Kabul, to were women could come and seek assistance by appealing to the new reformed laws of the king and report their husbands, brothers and fathers if they mistreated them. The emancipation policy was however extremely controversial and difficult to enforce in Afghan society, and King Amanullah Khan and Queen Sorya Tarzi were deposed in 1929. Their deposition from power was followed by a severe backlash on women's rights under their successor

Habibullah Ghazi Habibullah also spelled Habib Ullah, Habibollah, Habeeb-Allah etc. ( ar, حَبِيْبَُ ٱلله), is a male Muslim given name meaning in ''Beloved of God'', stemming from the male form of the name Habib. It may refer to: People *Raja Sir Ch ...

, who banned school for girls, reintroduced the veil and forced women back into gender segregation. The Women's Association Anjuman-i Himayat-i-Niswan as well as the women's magazine

Irshad-e Naswan ''Irshad-e Naswan'' ( prs, ارشاد نسوان, italic=yes, ) was a women's magazine issued in Afghanistan founded in 1921 being the first women's magazine in the country. The magazine was founded by Queen Soraya Tarzi. It was founded as a part o ...

was banned, the girls 'schools were closed, and the female students who had been allowed to study in Turkey was recalled to Afghanistan and forced to put on the veil and enter purdah again. The women's movement in Afghanistan was not resumed until after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, with the foundation of the

Women's Welfare Association {{Short description, Afghani women's organization Muassasa-i Khayriyya-i Zanan ('Women's Welfare Association') or (WWA), also known as the 'Women's Society' and from 1975 called '(Afghan) Women's Institute (WI)', was a women's organization in Afghan ...

, which was founded in 1946.Rahimi, Wali Mohammad: Status of women: Afghanistan, UNESCO Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Thailand). Regional Unit for the Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (1991) BKSS/91/277.1000

References

1928 establishments in Afghanistan Feminism and history Feminist organisations in Afghanistan Organizations established in 1928 Social history of Afghanistan Women's rights in Afghanistan