Taiba's story
Taiba lives in western Afghanistan. Her neighbour had threatened and beaten his wife into persuading Taiba to visit her. During that visit he raped her. The man was sixty seven. Taiba was twelve. Since her rape, Taiba has been coerced into a sexually abusive relationship with the man over a two year period. Eventually, the man's wife complained to the police about her husband.
The man and Taiba were both arrested. The man was sentenced to 3 years in prison for adultery. Taiba was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison, again for adultery, because it was felt that she bore some responsibility in the long term nature of the relationship, despite her being coerced and threatened by the man. By the time of her trial, Taiba was pregnant.
At fourteen, after two years of sexual abuse, Taiba found herself in prison - carrying a baby - with some adults who had committed serious crimes. She was regularly beaten by prison staff and other prisoners (who called her a prostitute and insulted her on a daily basis) and she did not have adequate food. Visitation was limited to once a week. Her mother could not afford to bring her food to supplement the diet for her and her unborn baby.
Having a baby outside of marriage is illegal in Afghanistan. It will mean that Taiba is unable to marry and so extend her family's ability to create new opportunities to help strengthen their survival strategies in the face of acute poverty. It will see her family shunned and frowned up, which will undermine their social agency, so vital to ensuring community cooperation in the struggle against poverty.
Taiba's mother encouraged her to abort the child. She visited her weekly, but the visits were very stressful. Taiba's mother was always calling her "bad" and explaining that the only way she could make good would be by aborting. She stated very clearly that she would not be allowed home with the baby.
Taiba was frequently distressed.
War Child has worked closely with the Ministry of Justice to establish a children's detention centre that has separated children from adult prisoners. A building has been renovated, with War Child support, specifically for the care and rehabilitation of children in detention. At the beginning of this year, Taiba was moved out of the women's prison and into the children's detention centre.
War Child's work with children in detention in Herat is a landmark. It is the first time in Afghanistan that children have been separated from adult prisoners in this way. These children now enjoy a more appropriate and supportive care regime.
Upon arrival at the detention centre Taiba received a full psychological and medical check. She was provided with emergency counseling and now receives on-going care and support from social workers who War Child have employed. War Child also takes Taiba and other girls on trips out of the centre to a local park to give them a little time out on a regular basis. Taiba no longer suffers abuse from prison guards or other inmates and she is now properly fed. She has recreational facilities including games such as chess, and can listen to the radio and even watch TV, all of which have been provided by War Child.
The detention centre staff have been trained by War Child in the provision of basic education and child care. Taiba exercises every morning and then has literacy classes. War Child is supporting an active vocational training schedule, which includes tailoring, calligraphy (making sign boards) and carpet weaving. Taiba also has Islamic lessons which will enable her to pray properly and observe religious customs in a way that will help her to win back the respect of her family when she is released.
War Child has established a family liaison service, which works with both the child in detention and their family, in developing the positive attitudes and social environment for the return and rehabilitation of the child upon release. In Taiba's case, this has resulted in the unprecedented success of having both her father and mother regularly visit her since her arrival in the detention centre. Taiba's parents now both accept that she was an innocent party within her ordeal and are willing to accept her back within the family. They are even discussing the possibility of supporting her in her aspirations of marriage, which will ensure that her wider family do not seek to harm her in the name of honour.
But Taiba's problems are far from over. The conditions for all this are that she must abort her baby.
Last month, Taiba gave birth to baby Fariq. Her family placed ever more pressure on her and in such distress Taiba was unable to breastfeed him. War Child staff stepped in to make it clear that the family were responsible as duty bearers for the protection of both Taiba and Fariq. This was a very sensitive and challenging process. Eventually, Taiba's mother came to the detention centre several times a day to help soothe and encourage her. This enabled her to start breast feeding baby Fariq.
The stigma of a child out of marriage has serious repercussions. Taiba's parents had secretly arranged for the fostering of baby Fariq and, sadly, Fariq was taken from her.
War Child's family liaison officers quickly managed to trace the foster family and is now making regular follow ups to ensure baby Fariq's well being.
Taiba is due to be released at the end of October through a Presidential decree that is expected after the Eid celebrations at the end of Ramadan. Her family are now looking forward to receiving her. War Child will monitor her progress and provide follow up support on a regular basis.
As Taiba reintegrates with her family and community the possibility of reuniting her with Fariq will be explored and negotiated. This is why War Child commits to working with children and their families in war affected areas over the long term.
In the mean time, Taiba should never have gone to prison in the first place. Taiba's case provides us with a great deal of insight and learning. War Child is using this, and other experiences, to address the root causes that lead to children coming into conflict with the law in the first place, and identify what can be done to prevent them from going into detention. War Child's work in prevention will expand over the coming year.
By winning the trust of local authorities and communities, and further developing our credibility with key Ministries, such as the Ministry of Justice, War Child is now working to ensure proper protection and care measures are in place for those children who do end up in detention, as well as those released from detention. By influencing policy at a national level in this way we can benefit many more children than we actually work with.