3. Biodata:
Mrs. Fatana Said Gailani, was born in 1954 and comes from an influential family of Kabul. She has become one of the most prominent advocates of Afghan women's rights. After she sought refuge in Pakistan in late 1978 due to her opposition to the Communist regime of Noor Mohammad Tarraki, she began her humanitarian work in 1980 by providing medical assistance for Afghan refugees. Mrs. Gailani founded the Afghanistan Women Council (AWC) in 1986 and started its activities for human rights, women's rights, children's rights and peace building in 1993. The main objective of the organization is to enlighten women, improve their living conditions, and strengthen their socio-economic status in society by their multi-lateral involvement in developmental activities. The AWC is a non-governmental, non-profit, non-sectarian organization and is not affiliated with any political party. It was established in Peshawar, Pakistan, to serve Afghan refugees. After the regime change in 1992 AWC opened an office in Kabul, Afghanistan. In 2001 AWC moved its head office to Kabul with regional offices in Kandahar and Jalalabad.

Reforms should be immediately brought to the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and new people should be appointed as chairman, deputy chairman and commissioners of the IEC. These new people should be unbiased and honest," said Fatana Gailani, head of Afghan Women's Network.(20160410)

Gailani has an interesting family background. Her husband is Ishaq Gailani, head of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan. He is a nephew of Pir Ahmad Gailani, who is the leader of the Qadiriyya Sufist order. Pir Gailani is also the head of the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (NIFA).

Afghanistan Woman Association president Fatana Ishaq Gilani has urged the caretaker government to prioritize combating illiteracy and give women and girls their rights Islam has given to them.
 

Fatana said that the Afghanistan Women Association worked with thousands of Afghan women and girls in education and health sectors in 2021/20 22)and provided assistance to two thousand needy widows and orphans.

During this period, she said, they even helped dozens of security personnel of the Islamic Emirate.

Gailani said: “In the initial days after the political change in the country when Taliban captured Kabul, I served meals to 70 or 80 Taliban fighters three times a day who were residing in our street, I bought winter clothing and blankets for them.”

“I did not leave the country after the Taliban takeover and stayed in the country, I was busy in welfare woks in those hard times,” she said.

“When the Taliban seized power on August 15, their spokesman said they will not prevent women from education and work, it made me optimistic,” Fatana said.

She felt good after the political change in the country and planned to extend her welfare activities for more women and girls in the country.

But the Islamic Emirate was yet to fulfill its promise as girls above the sixth grade still could not attend their lessons while majority of women not allowed to work, she lamented.

Fatana doesn’t know the reason of schools closure and said: “I do not know the reason why the doors of schools are shut for girls, I know nothing”.(20220913)