Public spaces for women is a priority
Specially created recreational areas open only to women allow them an opportunity to meet friends, enjoy nature and socialise in peace.
The Herat municipality said that creating new public spaces that women could use was a priority.
Beneficial for mental health
Herat enjoys relatively good security compared to other areas of Afghanistan. Even so, local police spokesman Abdul Rauf Ahmadi said that extra precautions were in place for public gardens.
This meant, he continued, that the community could make full use of the gardens.
Mustafa Hussaini, a psychologist and university lecturer, said that the soothing surroundings and fresh air of a public park were all beneficial for mental health.
This was particularly valuable for women confined to their homes for much of their time by conservative social traditions.
Visiting a park even once a week could make a marked difference, he concluded.
Green spaces allow women to socialise
Herat resident Hamid Azimi welcomed the provision of parks just for women, explaining that in the past he had worried about female members of his family being harassed, even if he accompanied them.
Local activists emphasised that the benefit of safe outside spaces went far beyond mere entertainment.
The park was a rare forum where rural and urban women could meet each other, and provided a much-needed respite for those who living in an abusive domestic environment, Nekzad continued.
Sakina, a regular visitor to the Shamira Garden, agreed.
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