Women’s Rights in Afghanistan

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“I am woman hear me roar”! A song written by Helen Reddy in 1972 is not often a phrase chanted by Afghan women. The plight of the women of Afghanistan to obtain rights began early in history and continues today. Religion and culture have affected Afghanistan throughout time. Today in Afghanistan, ninety-nine percent are Muslims ("Religion in Afghanistan - Islam”). Muslim is the term used to define a person that participates in the act of obedience, acceptance, or surrender. Therefore a “Muslim is a person who submits to the will of God, or a follower of Islam” (Manisha) and can be seen in their lifestyle and choice of dress, the burqa which is outerwear that covers the entire body, except the eyes and hands, in addition to their religious beliefs (Bahman). Muslim should be used to identify all people of the Islamic faith but not the faith itself. The term Islam is used to describe the religion or acts done in the name of that religion but never a person whom follows that religion. Islam is yielding to the will of God and describes the religion and cultural ideas. Muslim is person who takes part in the act of submission and describes the disciples of the religion of Islam (Manisha). There are very specific rules to follow in the Islamic religion which suppress the rights that are allowed women. Political unrest has also contributed to the lack of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Afghanistan was in the process of modernizing their country when the Taliban took over in 1994 and Women’s freedoms suffered significantly done in the name of the Islamic faith. “Under the Taliban, ultraconservative Islamic ideas combined with misogynistic (having or showing a hatred and distrust of women) and patriarchal tribal culture resulted in numero...

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Johnson, Chris, and Jolyon Leslie. Afghanistan: the Mirage of Peace. London: Zed, 2004. Print.

"Mohammad and Islam." Angelfire: Welcome to Angelfire. Web. 10 Mar. 2011. .

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"Women's Human Rights Resources - Women in Afghanistan." Bora Laskin Law Library, University of Toronto Faculty of Law. 27 Oct. 2004. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. .

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