Women's Prison Project

Where We Work > Afghanistan > Creative Arts in Women's Prisons

Creative Arts in Women's Prisons
2011-2014

Bond Street Theatre has begun a new creative program in the Herat Women's Prison, Juvenile
Correction Center, Child Support Center, and the OMID Women's Shelter. The programs gives women a voice to speak out about the inequalities in the judicial practices within Afghanistan that unfairly imprison women. By introducing uplifting, self-expressive, theatrical and storytelling processes into the rehabilitative process for incarcerated women and children in prisons, the women gain the confidence, motivation, and life skills to ease reentry into society. This is first program of it's kind in Afghanistan.

The Women of Simorgh Theatre on location in Herat

The program is conducted in partnership with Simorgh Theatre in Herat. The women in this theatre group performed in the prison in 2011, and were stirred by the stories the women told them about their flight from abusive homes, forced marriages, or false accusations without an option for self-defense.

The program gives women who have been deeply debilitated by violence and a flawed legal system healing ways to approach problems, learn their legal rights, and develop the communication skills and motivation to speak out for justice. In addition, they learned educational and creative activities to enjoy with their children who are incarcerated with them.

Simorgh Theatre has performed the original work "Backbiters" directed by Joanna Sherman and Anna Zastrow in four locations in the prison system: The Women's Prison of Herat, the Juvenile Correction Center, the Children Support Center and the OMID Women's Shelter. After training with our Bond Street staff, the women of Simorgh Theatre are conducting ongoing workshops in each of these facilities. Together we are providing a hands-on creative experience for these incarcerated women and their children. We thank the generous women of Dining for Women for their support.