After a Long Wait, Afghan Women Step Up to Vote
KABUL, Afghanistan — It began as a slow, cautious trickle, but by midmorning Saturday the line of voters at Zarghona High School had become a great surge of pale blue burkas as hundreds of Afghan women exercised their right to vote for president for the first time.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. and by 9, a line of about 300 women was snaking into the large schoolyard, not far from a separate polling station for men, which was also busy. After an hour of waiting, though, many of the women lost patience and pushed their way to the doors of the booth, demanding to know what was causing the holdup.
After years as second-class citizens -- first during a brutal civil war and then under the repressive Taliban regime -- it seemed they could not wait any longer to reclaim their political voice.
The women came from all walks of life. Some were teachers or civil servants; others were illiterate homemakers. Some wore burkas, the head-to-toe coverings; others wore Western-style fashions. Some of the younger voters came with their friends, and others with small children.
Few of the women were old enough to remember when Afghan women first gained the right to vote and run for public office in the 1960s, but everyone had expectations of how the election would change their lives.
"We want the prices of goods to come down, food, rent and oil," said Human, a grandmother who came with four female relatives.
"The economy is bad, salaries are low," Nasima Rizaee, standing behind her, chimed in. "I came here to bring peace. After 25 years, we have the chance."
Kouki, a mother of 12 who uses only one name, waved her registration card and appeared slightly confused about the nature of a presidential election.
"We would like a king who will build schools for us," she said. "We are deaf from the rockets, our children are deaf and we want a new king to help us."
As the crowd of voters grew more aggressive, the all-female staff in the polling room finally lost their patience.
"Wait your turn!" one yelled at the crowd. "Only two voters in the room at a time. You want the entire hallway in here?"
Wahidullah Safarzada, a dazed-looking security guard, gave up trying to control the crowd.
"What should I do?" he asked. "They are not listening. They are dangerous. I'm scared of them."
Zahra, an election observer who also uses only one name, said the turnout was better than expected.
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