Problem
Throughout the history of the world, oppression of women has seems to be a common theme. The United States itself has even addressed some major inequality issues that even today still are interlaced within the psyche of our nation. Although this issue exists worldwide we have decided to focus on one country in particular that suffers outrageous crimes and acts of violence against the women enslaved within the borders of Afghanistan.
The issue of oppressed woman in Afghanistan is a complicated one. The issue here digs deep, with influences dating back hundreds of years. The people of Afghanistan have withstood hardships, between religious totalitarianism/fundamentalism, war, harsh living conditions, extreme violence, and a struggle for power.
The biggest influence for this long and treacherous history of oppression seems to be Islamic law (Sharia). It is this doctrine that groups enforcing the oppression against women often cite and hold as their only authority. The ones enforcing this system of belief are also people with political power and because of this these beliefs have interwoven themselves within the laws. These laws put women in a sub-human category with diminished power in social, economic, and political aspect of life leaving them only to be valued for household slavery and procreation (RAWA Organization, 1997).
In this state of limitation women are often left with no opportunities in education or jobs, forced to wear a burqa (clothing that covers the entire body), and left to stay in their house taking care of several on their own. This sub-human state is often enforced by leaders with public beatings and even murders for small things such as a woman’s ankle showing when she walks, or having her laughter meet a man’s ear. Through these actions both women and honest men were left in a shadow of fear putting the nation in submission of fundamentalist control.
Even in recent times, despite the increased shift of awareness and increased support for change laws have been passed to further ensure the oppression to remain. In March 2012, President Hamid Karzai endorsed a code of conduct which stated that women should not travel without a male guardian and should not mingle with strange men in places such as schools, markets and offices (Guardian, 2012). This law was presented to look like it was passed to help the women remain safe but silently ensured that women do not have power in crucial places of education, occupation, and economy.
Additional examples of the women are oppressed in Afghanistan:
http://www.rawa.org/rules.htm
The issue of oppressed woman in Afghanistan is a complicated one. The issue here digs deep, with influences dating back hundreds of years. The people of Afghanistan have withstood hardships, between religious totalitarianism/fundamentalism, war, harsh living conditions, extreme violence, and a struggle for power.
The biggest influence for this long and treacherous history of oppression seems to be Islamic law (Sharia). It is this doctrine that groups enforcing the oppression against women often cite and hold as their only authority. The ones enforcing this system of belief are also people with political power and because of this these beliefs have interwoven themselves within the laws. These laws put women in a sub-human category with diminished power in social, economic, and political aspect of life leaving them only to be valued for household slavery and procreation (RAWA Organization, 1997).
In this state of limitation women are often left with no opportunities in education or jobs, forced to wear a burqa (clothing that covers the entire body), and left to stay in their house taking care of several on their own. This sub-human state is often enforced by leaders with public beatings and even murders for small things such as a woman’s ankle showing when she walks, or having her laughter meet a man’s ear. Through these actions both women and honest men were left in a shadow of fear putting the nation in submission of fundamentalist control.
Even in recent times, despite the increased shift of awareness and increased support for change laws have been passed to further ensure the oppression to remain. In March 2012, President Hamid Karzai endorsed a code of conduct which stated that women should not travel without a male guardian and should not mingle with strange men in places such as schools, markets and offices (Guardian, 2012). This law was presented to look like it was passed to help the women remain safe but silently ensured that women do not have power in crucial places of education, occupation, and economy.
Additional examples of the women are oppressed in Afghanistan:
http://www.rawa.org/rules.htm