Discrimination Among Women

DISCRIMINATION AMONG AFGHANISTAN WOMEN

Afghanistan has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world, before the Taliban came to power. Afghanistan a country with 23 million inhabitants, is one of the poorest countries in the world. It has low literacy rate among women. Before the Taliban came to power, Afghanistan women participated as women legislators in the parliament, in the 1970s,and helped draft the 1964 constitution. There were teachers, government workers, and medical doctors, in the early 1980s. They also worked as professors, lawyers, judges, journalists, writers and poets  (Annan, 2001)..

Once the Taliban gained power, women and girls were systematically discriminated against and marginalized, their human rights were violated. This result to a decrease in the economic and social conditions among women and girls in the country, especially in the territory of the Taliban.

The rights of women and girls are significantly violated due to strict tribal norms and values with great gender bias, religious extremism and weak law (Sherzai, 2012).

Afghanistan has suffered from chronic instability and conflict. The Taliban’s oppression of women in Afghanistan during their rule between 1996 and 2001, has restricted the movement, the denial of the right to work, beatings, and other physical abuse, arbitrary detention, a near ban to access education, and access to healthcare among women ( M.H. Hasrat and Alexandra Pfefferle, 1391).  

Reports prove cases where females are physically tortured, with severe beatings, cuts, and burnt alive, or thrown acids. Most importantly they are forced into marriage at an early age, being sold for prostitution, compelled for self -immolation and raped.

The Taliban’s policies have limited the freedom of movement among women. They have restricted the movement of women without the company of a male. A decree was implemented in May 2001 by the Taliban, banning women from driving cars, which further limited their social and daily activities. The seclusion of women resulted to a form of solitary confinement, as well as it created walls among women from meeting each other. Women are harassed and beaten by the Taliban if seen in public, as this is a crime or sin to the Taliban edicts (Annan, 2001).

References

1.      M.H. Hasrat and Alexandra Pfefferle. (1391). Violence against women in Afghanistan. Kabul,: Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. Retrieved from http://www.aihrc.org.af/media/files/VAW_Final%20Draft-20.12.pdf

2.       Annan, G. K. (2001). THE SITUATION OF WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/events/women/2002/sit.htm

3.       Sherzai, D. (2012, March 10). Discrimination Against Women in Afghan Society. Afganistan . Retrieved from http://outlookafghanistan.net/topics.php?post_id=3629