Discrimination Against Women in Afghanistan By Mary Yoon
There are two main types of people seen in the world: women and men. With these two types, it has been a prominent trend, throughout all of history, to favor the men. Although with the recent feminist movements throughout different places in the world the patriarchy has been dwindling. However, some areas of this world are still largely male-dominated, with strong discrimination against the female sex. Women in Afghanistan have had it rather rough with the bumpiness of their rights in the past few decades, current acts of discrimination against them, and the difficultly in securing women’s rights.
Before the Soviets took over in 1979, leading the country into a turmoil that would continue to last until the present day, Afghanistan was a rather peaceful country for both men and women. While women still weren’t considered totally equal to men, they had many more opportunities to live full lives. The schools in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, consisted of 70% female teachers. The total number of doctors in this city was 40% women, and the government workers were half women. Soon when the Soviets took over everyone had a rough time, and women’s rights slowly started diminishing. After the Soviets were pushed out in 1989, a civil war broke out for the next six years. The day the Taliban came into power in 1996, women’s rights disappeared completely. While the Taliban originally seemed like a wonderful idea that would save the cities from the civil war that raged in their streets, they soon learned that the Taliban were more cruel then the war ever had been. Women were pushed into a domestic box with her entire life revolving around men. Women were not allowed to leave their house without a male escort, and when they did, they were forced to wear concealing burqas that only had a tiny screen from them to see through. Along with that they were not allowed to work outside of their home, and not allowed to attend schools. Additionally they were banned from enjoying the simplicities of life’s joys such as riding bikes, laughing loudly, and wearing clothes that were too vibrant. When the US-invaded, the Taliban fell, and presidential elections took place, it hope finally ensued for all of Afghanistan, especially the women. In 2004, a constitution was made, guarding women’s rights and declaring men and women equal citizens. It also advocated that women should make of 25% of the government. While this is only half of what it was pre-war, progress has still been made. (Women and Girls in Afghanistan)
While progress is seen in Afghanistan in terms of women’s rights, it’s still quite difficult to be a women living there. Life is difficult for women in domestic life, educational life, and religious life. In their domestic life, young girls in rural areas are often forced by her family to marry someone much older than her. And, often times, she meets this person on her wedding night. According to recent statistics, at least 50% of girls are married by the age of ten, and 60% by the age of sixteen. Some of these marriages are to someone up to sixty years old. One reason that girls are so quickly rushed into an arranged marriage has to do with the lack of protection that three decades of turmoil brought. There isn’t much protection for women against rape, or sexual abuse, except for marriage. In addition to domestic life, women face hard discrimination when it comes down to academic life. The statistics show that there is a large favor shown towards women when it comes to schooling. Only two-fifths of women attend elementary school, and only five percent attend school after 6th grade. On top of this, 90% of women are illiterate. When there’s such a hinder of women’s education, even if the economy did pull itself up and jobs became readily available to women, women still wouldn’t be able to qualify for these positions. In addition to these shocking statistics, there’s even more the social issue. Many of the people in Afghanistan don’t believe that women should be educated and the make it clear to them. Many women’s schools have fallen due to arson, and many schoolteachers have been both threatened and killed. It also is not safe for girls to attend school because often times they get physically harassed and attacked while on their way to the school building. Finally in addition to educational life, women’s religious life is also hard. According to the Shari’a, Islamic law, women are required to wear full burqas, and their testimonies are only worth half of what a men’s testimonies. (Trust in Education)
While women’s life is very hard, it’s also extremely hard to secure women’s right. While things seemed to look up in 2004, a couple of laws were passed in 2009 that were extremely discriminatory towards certain women in Afghanistan (Trust). So although good laws were passed in 2004, they were not secure for long. These laws were directed towards the Shi’a women, a minority in Afghanistan (Trust). These laws that were passed did not allow women to leave the house unless they had a legitimate reason (Trust). On top of this, marital rape is allowed (Trust). Shi’ite women are not allowed to inherit husband’s property, nor get educated without their permission (Trust). In addition to Shi’a women, altogether women’s rights are at risk, and the oppression continues. For instance, over the course of 2012, violet crimes against women in Afghanistan has rose 24%, and since the year 2004, the percentage of women involved in the government has fallen a total of 4% (Zucchino, David). One of the senior researchers for the Human Rights Watch in Afghanistan has said, “Signs are everywhere that a rollback for women’s rights has begun,” (Zucchino, David). In addition to the rights not being secure, those who attempt to help secure them are often times persecuted. For example, just last year, the head of women’s affairs in Eastern Afghanistan was blown up in her car due to a planted bomb, and a couple months after, her replacement was shot to death on her way to work (Zucchino, David). Although an effort is being made, women’s rights and equality will not come easy to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is statistically the worse place to be a woman (Trust), and not much is currently being done in defense of them. Although certain laws are being passed in women’s favor, it’ll be a long road that may never end, until women are treated equally to men. Women in Afghanistan have had it rather rough with the bumpiness of their rights in the past few decades, have it rough with the current acts of discrimination against them, and will have it rough with the difficultly in securing the gains that have been made.
An Afghanistan Refugee in Baluchistan, Pakistan.
History and Conflict Between Ethnic Groups in Afghanistan By Vivian Nemenyi
Afghanistan is a warzone, filled with treachery and hatred spewing from different ethnic groups. Although Soviet Union occupation plays a role in the disaster, Afghanistan has many different ethnic groups, resulting in the major struggles between them, which leads towards violence, and hatred. Even to this day, Afghanistan faces ethnic and religious diversity’s that that puts many people at risk of religious and ethnical conflicts.
There are currently thirty-three ethnic groups living in Afghanistan (Johnson). The most known ethnic groups for foreigners and people living in Afghanistan are the Pashtuns, Tajik’s, Hazara’s, Uzbek’s, Aimak’s, Turkmen’s, and Baloch’s. The major ethnic groups are Pashtuns, Tajik’s, Hazara’s, and Uzbek’s (Greens)
The second main ethnic groups are the Tajiks. They make up around 27% of the population. Tajiks are also Sunni, such as the Pashtuns (Greens). The Tajiks live in the Panjsher Valley and in provinces of Parwan, Takhar, Badakhshan, Baghlan and Samangan. Few Tajik people leave their area to live in the central mountains area. (Ethnic Groups of Afghanistan). The Hazaras make up around 9% of the population. Hazara’s are Shi’a with a very lesser part that is Sunni (Greens).
The last ethnic group is the Uzbeks, who make up only 9 percent of the population. They also follow Sunni religion, such as the Hazara’s, but are not as disliked as Hazaras. They are located in the north area of Afghanistan. Unlike the Hazaras, who are unable to find good jobs due to their ethnicity and religion, Uzbeks are able to earn money by farming but have also been able to become businessman and skilled artisans (Ethnic Groups of Afghanistan)). Also, although they only make up only a minor part of Afghanistan and are not well known, Uzbeks have no hesitation marrying with other Uzbeks and Tajiks. However, they do not have any relationship with Pashtuns society. (Ethnic Groups of Afghanistan)) They are originally from Uzbekistan (Greens).
Not only are the ethnic groups different due to religion and racial divisions, occupation has cause great disaster. A terrible period in Afghanistan’s history was the result of the Soviet Union’s military occupation. It was an invasion of December 1979 as to “secure a Moscow-friendly regime in power in Kabul” (Valey). Different groups of Afghans, which came from diverse ethnic and political backgrounds, began to resist the Soviet forces and their allies. However, in 1089, a conflict broke out that was largely between the ethnic groups; Pashtuns against the minor ethnic groups such as the Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks. Approximately 100,000 people died during this tragic civil war. After the war, Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 (Ahmed).
Due to many wars and tragic deaths in Afghanistan, there has been terror and pain circulating between the people. Many of these issues are not addressed and are looked over by the government There are many issues circulation around ethnicity of the people of Afghanistan. To this day, people suffer and dread the bombs and explosions. This is their daily life for survival, which they hope, will end, one day.
Young Hazara Girl with Father
Discrimination Towards Afghanistan’s Minorities By Ciera DeHart
"Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose[Hazara] here. His people pollute our homeland, our watan. They dirty our blood… Afghanistan for Pashtuns, I say. That's my vision." (Hosseini 44) In today’s Afghan society, the Pashtuns are the ruling class, making up the majority of the Afghan people (Afghanistan Overview). For them, life is abounding in opportunities, while the Hazara people wish they could only be given that chance. In addition to the disadvantage the Hazaras’ minority status creates for them, their ethnic group is comprised exclusively of Shi’a Muslims, who are far out numbered by the Sunnis in Afghanistan and the surrounding countries (Afghanistan Overview). Social discrimination affects Afghanistan’s diverse people when faced with prejudice towards minorities and religious intolerance.
Afghanistan is a nation with deep-seated religious ties, which makes rivalries between various Islamic sects all the more severe. Pashtuns are overwhelmingly Sunni and comprise 42% of the population (Massoud). As Shi’a, the Hazaras make up only 9% of the Afghan society (Afghanistan Overview). In their own country, “the Hazara have experienced discrimination at the hands of the Pashtun-dominated government throughout the history of modern Afghanistan’” (Kator-Mubarez). Since 2001, Shi’ites have been able to be more outright about their faith, but in the past the Taliban have persecuted them mercilessly (Kator-Mubarez). They have been targets of needless assaults and ridicule for years.
Assorted religious and ethnic minorities also feel the sting of being different on a constant, daily basis (Rouyee). In Afghanistan, there are estimated to be 3,000 Sikhs and 1,000 Hindus in the major cities (Afghanistan Overview). Plagued with extra costs when operating businesses and excessive license checks, Sikhs and Hindus are discriminated against at work and even when walking home (Rouyee). At school, their children are bullied and are forced to read the Quran, despite not being Muslim (Rouyee). The Hazara sense the difference as well; Amina Kator-Mubarez says, “As the traditional underclass of Afghan society, Hazara were exploited and made to work as servants and laborers.” The unskilled labors the Hazara provide result in further stigmatization for them (Kator-Mubarez). Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner portrays how they are rejected from society.
As stated previously, baseless prejudice and discrimination affects the numerous religious and ethnic minorities of Afghanistan. This country houses multiple, distinct people groups, but the Pashtun Sunni majority treats Hazara Shi’a Muslims with contempt. Throughout their history, the Hazara have been taken advantage of and mistreated with few advocates to speak up for them. Other religious groups, such as Hindus and Sikhs, are also treated adversely at school and work. Afghanistan is definitely not just, “the land of Pashtuns” and it’s time accommodations are made to realize that.