Assignment #5: Human Rights Violations
The Plight of Afghan Woman
The vast majority of Afghanistan’s population professes to be followers of Islam. Over 1400 years ago, Islam demanded that men and women be equal before God, and gave them various rights such the right to inheritance, the right to vote, the right to work, and even choose their own partners in marriage. For centuries now in Afghanistan, women have been denied these rights either by official government decree or by their own husbands, fathers, and brothers. During the rule of the Taliban (1996 – 2001), women were treated worse than in any other time or by any other society. They were forbidden to work, leave the house without a male escort, not allowed to seek medical help from a male doctor, and forced to cover themselves from head to toe, even covering their eyes. Women who were doctors and teachers before, suddenly were forced to be beggars and even prostitutes in order to feed their families.
Since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001, many would agree that the political and cultural position of Afghan women has improved substantially. The recently adopted Afghan constitution states that “the citizens of Afghanistan – whether man or woman- have equal rights and duties before the law”. So far, women have been allowed to return back to work, the government no longer forces them to wear the all covering burqa, and they even have been appointed to prominent positions in the government. Despite all these changes many challenges still remain. The repression of women is still prevalent in rural areas where many families still restrict their own mothers, daughters, wives and sisters from participation in public life. They are still forced into marriages and denied a basic education. Numerous school for girls have been burned down and little girls have even been poisoned to death for daring to go to school.
- by Abdullah Qazi
http://www.afghan-web.com/woman/
I think that no matter wheither you are female or male, you should have the same equal rights. Its not fair in this case where women aren’t allowed to leave the house and litterly be slaves to their husbands, fathers, or brothers. I think that its great that they have changed the laws a bit so that women could return back to work if they chose, the no longer are forced to wear the covering burqa. Even though they may have more rights then before there is still problems in the rural ares. women have been allowed to return back to work, the government no longer forces them to wear the all covering burqa. But there is still problems in the rural areas where women are still forced to do these things where still their marriages are arranged and they are still denied right to education. I believe that a big problem is education. Education is the right path to get out of situations and lack of education i think is kinda of a way for the country’s government to keep its people in the country. Education is the key, without it you aren’t taught your rights, aren’t being safe, and you don’t know any better from what others tell you. I think that this is a big problem. I feel very thankful and appreciative of being able to live in a country where I can getup every morning and know that either I’m going to school or going to work. I think that fact that I have an education and I’m able to express myself the way that I want to. I feel thankful for the last 13 years I have be given the oppertunity to attend school and get an education to better my life later. I just wish that all the other countries that are lacking in this great thing can see how good rights for people are a good thing.
