Programmes - 6:30 Report

Afghanistan is one of the worst places for women and children to live. The lack of security, the lack of good living conditions, poverty and outdated traditions are some of the problems that make life hard for women and children. Indeed, Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. This has improved over the past 10 years but the problem persists, especially in rural areas.

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Attention on Where There is Fighting

Much progress has been made under the regime of President Hamid Karzai. But less attention has been paid to some parts of the country than others. Some people say assistance has mainly gone to the regions where there is fighting, and the more peaceful central regions have been forgotten.

The Forgotten Land

I travelled to Bamiyan to understand the lives of the people there. Bamiyan, the land of the destroyed Buddhas. The forgotten land.

Representatives from Bamiyan say that the only work that has been done in Bamiyan is the asphalting of some parts of the main road. They say nothing else major has been done to improve the lives of the population there.

Living in the Middle Ages

In most Bamiyan villages, people are still living as in the Middle Ages. There is no sign of 21st century modernisation.

Lack of medical care and other services have created serious problems for people of Bamiyan. Women and children are among the most vulnerable. Some people in this province still live in caves; donkeys are the only mode of transport.

Four Hours to Reach a Medical Facility

On a trip to Yakawlang district, I met a woman who had brought her grandson to a medical facility. The distance between her home and nearest medical clinic is almost two hours. She is relatively lucky. Many people have to travel for much longer, by foot, to reach their nearest clinic. In winter, many of the roads are blocked. Women, especially, have to travel long distances in search of female doctors. According to Bamiyan's Public Health Department, more than 20 per cent of Bamiyan's inhabitants have no access to medical facilities and the lack of female doctors is a major challenge.

Barn Deliveries

Many people in Yakawlang told me that most women still have have their babies in barns due to the lack of medical facilities. Bamiyan's provincial governor is skeptical that most deliveries happen in barns, but nevertheless, agrees that it does happen.

One Woman's Experience.

In some of the most remote villages in Yakawlang, I met many people who were born in barns but none of them would speak on camera. I met a 10-member family, all of whom lived in one room. They had had most of their babies in barns due to the lack of resources not because they wanted to. One member of the family, Bas Gul, was born in a barn. She herself delivered eight babies in the barn. And now her daughter-in-law has had three babies in the same manner. I want to look at her delivery room. It was dark and humid, and 4 meters long by 2 meters wide. Several poles held up the roof. There was only one door and the smell was bad. Bas Gul said that all her children were born in the winter and she had to use animal dropping to heat the room. She is now happy merely because she can lay down a carpet down in the barn when someone gives birth. Previously, she used hay.

Lack of Awareness or Facilities

Officials from the Ministry of Public Health say that it is a lack of awareness of the facilities available that cause people to have babies like this. But it seems that poverty and the lack of facilities are the real reasons.

Progress or Going Backwards?

Government officials stress that vast improvements have been made in the health sector. But Bas Gul's story highlights how many people continue to live in the forgotten areas of the country.