SPAIN: Transcontinental Times’ TCT 360° Live show, which reflects on a variety of social concerns around the world, recently had a new guest, Laia Marsal, a Spanish social activist.
In addition to being a social activist, Laia is an international evacuations specialist and works as a consultant for the Barcelona-based NGO ‘Too Young to Wed.’
When asked about her reason for becoming a social activist, Laia stated that she has only been a social activist for five months and that it has been tough.
“Also, there have been several problems around the world for a long period,” she continued.
“A person near to my heart, such as my father, died, making me more empathetic to individuals who have lost loved ones, particularly ladies.”
Too Young to Wed
“We started as a campaign with a mission of demolishing child marriage and empowering girls in 2012 and became an NGO in 2015,” Laia said when asked about the Too Young to Wed (NGO) and other issues.
In Afghanistan, child marriages, forced marriages of girls are bigger problems, rising every single day. The situation is worse than before and at the same time.
Too Young to Wed has interpreted and helped to resolve child marriage cases while focusing on access to education for girls and other issues in the country suffering from lack of resources and controlled by the Taliban.
“Here in Spain, we have helped prepare immigrants for interviews, getting a visa, as they did not have any legal documents; also, we helped them to get shelter, food, etc. We get messages and stuff every day about help, but it is difficult to answer them all and it is miserable. We need more people to work, to help people in neediness,” she added.
When talking about areas that need to be developed, Laia specifically mentioned economic corruption. She also briefly highlighted the horrific scenarios many Afghans faced, such as being forced to flee their homes and losing access to their bank accounts, to name a few.
Furthermore, Laia praised the Spanish Ministry of External Affairs’ reaction to the Afghan people’s plight, calling it “impeccable” and “humanitarian.”
Find yourself in the service of others
Conversing about a terrible and lesser-known condition of women in Taliban ruling Afghanistan, Laia stated, “The situation is hazardous as Taliban has taken over many human rights, violations against women and girls are rising. For example, in countries like Afghanistan, facing a lack of food, women often eat last and less, also women are forced to get married to Taliban fighters, etc.”
“So, at this moment, I can’t see a good future, we need to fight. I have got a wonderful team. Sometimes we don’t get any holiday and we work for hours.”
“We fought together and I have learned a lot. We have helped many people and have got some good results. We all have something to offer. Teaming up with the right people, who share your passion, commitment and knowledge are important. Besides, hope is important in this field. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others, I believe,” she added.
Watch the whole interview here:
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