Afghanistan – The Unlikely, Yet Very Beautiful Tourist Destination

When talking about Afghanistan, very few people think of it as a tourist destination. However, without all the violence and battle situations, Afghanistan is actually a very scenic place with some great destinations to visit. It also has a few World Heritage Sights. If explored properly, Afghanistan can prove to be a very beautiful place.

The Bamyan Province, which is now considered to be one of the poorest provinces in the country, is very rich in culture and heritage. The Buddhas of Bamiyan, the world-renowned twin statues had stood in this very place for centuries, before the Taliban destroyed them in 2001, in an attempt to demolish everything un-Islamic. However, the caves surrounding the statues are still intact and have some very beautiful attractions to offer. Guided tours are available to the tourists who come. Along with the historical caves, one can also explore the various lakes and the breathtaking mountain ranges in the area.

The governor of Bamyan Province, Dr. Habiba Sarabi has been an active campaigner in the promotion of tourism in Afghanistan. She believes that through tourism not only can the world know more about Afghanistan, but the local people can also earn their livelihood. She encourages people to work as tourist guides and to open small guest houses and eateries in their houses so that money can be earned in a safe and amicable atmosphere. If the efforts of the government, along with help from the UN, materialize, the people of Afghanistan will benefit a lot. And along with this, the adventurous tourists from around the world will also have a great new place to explore.

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Elections in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has fought a long battle. Even before the war began in 2001, the people of Afghanistan had to face a huge number of internal battles including the injustices meted out by the Taliban. The democracy was almost dead and the only thing alive in the hearts of people was fear. They feared for their lives at all times. And the worst sufferers of this terror were women. Women literally were banned from all the facilities and were confined to their houses, in a suffocating civil atmosphere. However, things have now changes and with the Taliban exiting from active governance, the people of Afghanistan are breathing a lot easy. Women are fast getting liberated and there are a number of opportunities available for them. The statistics collected from the recently concluded elections were very heartening and they showed how wonderfully women were being welcomed.

In the recently concluded elections, a total of 2500 candidates ran for 249 seats. And among them were 400 women. This is a very positive outcome as women are no longer afraid to come out of their houses and voice their opinions. They are also vying to become leaders and work for the betterment of more women across the country.

The elections were conducted smoothly, with the help of the United Nations. The government and people of Afghanistan drew accolades from the world over for their courage, determination and spirit in carrying out the elections. Barack Obama, the president of the United States of America, too personally congratulated Afghanistan for the successful polls.

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Angelina Jolie in Afghanistan

Hollywood star and United Nations’ goodwill ambassador, Angelina Jolie visited Afghanistan for the second time. Jolie, visibly moved by the plight of the refugees returning to their homeland, made an appeal to the UN and the government of Afghanistan to ensure that the former refugees get to live in good conditions.

On her previous visit to Afghanistan in 2002, Jolie had met a number of people displaced due to the war. Almost 10 years later, when she set foot in the country again, she was happy to be reunited with Zamo Jan, a frail 70-year old lady. But seeing the conditions in which Jan and many of the others were forced to live in, Jolie made an appeal to provide these people with proper shelter. She stressed on the need to not only provide a shelter, but also to have hospitals and schools in the area so that people can settle down with their families and find jobs too.

The Afghani people, specially young children, were very enthusiastic about meeting the superstar and took a lot of interest in speaking with her, albeit through an interpreter. They all voiced their needs and put their thoughts across. Most agreed that education and healthcare are the facilities that are most urgently needed. Jolie urged the government to not ask the refugees to come back, but also to reintegrate their lives. She said this must be the prime focus as without proper reintegration and rehabilitation, the people will find it very difficult to make a fresh start after returning.

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Conflicts targeting young girls in Afghanistan

Even though Afghanistan is recovering from the aftershocks of the horrible war that tore apart the nation, there still are instances of violence that disrupt normal live. Civilians, the innocent people trying to rebuild their lives, are often the worst hit. In the last few months, nearly 2000 people were killed and over 1000 injured in airstrikes and other such violent incidents. Though the numbers of such attacks are dropping, it is still alarming to see that mostly women and children are targeted in these attacks. Young school-going girls are most susceptible to such violent happenings.

While on one hand it is widely agreed that only education and exposure can uplift the lives of women in Afghanistan, the Taliban on the other hand, sadly, still think women do not deserve to be educated. As a result, they have always tried to stop women from studying and growing in life. And now with the violent strikes on young women, this idea is being consolidated.

The United Nations and the officials of the country have been battling the negatives in an attempt to bring education to every child in Afghanistan, irrespective of their gender. This is a very positive initiative, as education is truly the passport to better living conditions for the innocent people of Afghanistan who have long suffered in their own land. A lot of measures have been taken to ensure that women and children are not targeted so frequently. The education of the girl child has also been put on high priority.

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