Afghan Women Confront Human Rights Crisis Posted on: Tuesday,
May 26, 2009 To help shore up domestic support for its war in
Afghanistan, the Bush Administration spoke often of the need to
free Afghan women from the Taliban. Indeed, that regime robbed
women of even a minimal degree of self-determination, violating
basic rights to education, employment, healthcare, freedom of
movement and freedom from violence. After the Taliban was
deposed by the US, women’s circumstances improved somewhat,
mainly in the cities. Yet for the vast majority of Afghan women,
US promises of freedom never materialized. Many Afghan women are
adamant that only they themselves can secure their rights and
that human rights cannot be enforced by an occupying army. As
activists, they face tremendous challenges, including an ongoing
war and entrenched gender-based abuse that makes Afghanistan one
of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a woman. Here
are some of the conditions that Afghan women confront everyday:
- Every 30 minut