A CONCENTRATION was held in solidarity for the women and girls of Afghanistan on Wednesday evening in Valencia’s Plaza de la Virgen. Acts of solidarity were held across Spain and were organised by the Assemblea Feminista along with other feminist organisations.
The Valencia region has offered to take in Afghans who find themselves in peril. Last week Valencia’s minister for equality, Mónica Oltra said they would be very welcome as Valencia is a land which is open to refugees, saying they would find a “safe refuge” here. In the summer of 2018 it was Valencia which welcomed the MV Aquarius rescue boat, with its 629 refugees and migrants, after Italy and Malta had refused to let it dock.
Oltra’s thoughts were echoed by Valencia’s mayor, Joan Ribó, who tweeted a photo of the city hall building showing a banner which read:”Valencia Ciutad de refugi”.
So far a total of 718 refugees have arrived in Spain, with 57 Afghans coming to the Valencia region, although the exact locations of where they’re staying have been kept quiet to protect their privacy,
The Universitat de Valencia, has also offered help to Afghan women as it organises a support programme for Afghan university women with the aim of incorporating female Afghan students and professors in Spanish universities.
The UV has called on the university community across the country as well as the Spanish authorities to avoid “losing this opportunity of training” following the seizing of power in Afghanistan by Taliban forces, starting form the premise that education is “the most powerful lever for equality and the rights of women.”
The Valencia Report 