President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan on Thursday signed into law an amendment that will allow names of Afghan mothers to be printed on their children’s national identity cards, as per a BBC report. Women right’s campaigners have demanded this amendment for long and it was finally signed into law after a fruitful campaign challenged taboos around women’s names.

Until Thursday, as per Afghan law, only a father’s name was mandatory on ID cards and using a woman’s name on an ID card was looked down upon and was even considered an insult.

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However, a campaign launched three years back under the hashtag #Whereismyname mediated a calculated onslaught on the tradition. It was also publicly decried by high-profile celebrities and members of the parliament.

The movement demanded parity and asked for the inclusion of the mother’s name along with the father’s on the national identity card.

The campaign garnered much fanfare and social media was abuzz with activists introducing themselves using their mother’s name.

Laleh Osmany, the mastermind of the movement, told BBC Afghan service that the result was overwhelming for her and she was overjoyed at the result.

Speaking to BBC, Osmany said, “There is no doubt that this victory is the result of persistent campaign and consonance among the campaigners and citizens.”

She added, “The government also stood by the citizens, and I express my gratitude to the president himself and his deputies for their support. I also thank everyone, men and women who supported our campaign and raised their voice, and congratulate all equal rights campaigners [on this victory].”

The Afghan cabinet’s legal affairs committee lauded the decision and added that the initiative was a step towards parity and equality. The committee stated, “the decision to include the mother’s name in the ID card is a big step towards gender equality and the realisation of women’s rights.”

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A member of the parliament, Maryam Sama, spoke in support of the movement and thanked activists who been the harbingers of change, commending their tireless efforts.

She said, “Our struggles have paid off.”

The decision comes amid negotiations between the government in power and the Taliban faction, as both sides desperately try to reach a peace agreement. Both sides are scheduled to meet this weekend to begin talks.