Afghanistan Works to Pass Elimination of Violence Against Women Act

Published October 03, 2009 @ 06:35AM PT

Imagine a part of the world where you aren't really allowed to go to school, just because you are a girl.

Imagine a part of the world where you were once thought of as sub-human by the government, just because you are a woman.

Imagine that because you are a woman, you are banished from the workforce, you are prohibited from leaving your house without a close male relative, you are prohibited from being examined by male physicians while at the same time female doctors and nurses are prohibited from working.

Imagine a part of the world where you must paint any publicly visible windows of your home black and wear a burqa which leaves only a small mesh covering through which to see.

That part of the world is known as Afghanistan. But today, according to a story from the Associated Press, the country that is most known for repressing women's rights, may be making one small step toward some sense of equality:

Afghanistan is poised to enact legislation to allow women to prosecute abusive husbands, slowly pushing women's rights forward in the socially conservative country. The Elimination of Violence Against Women Act is expected to pass Parliament, but has been watered down along the way.

While this new law will still allow a husband to withhold financial support from his wife if she refuses to have sex with him and limits women's ability to leave the home - it does give women in Afghanistan a little more hope for a better tomorrow. And sometimes, hope, is the best place to start.

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Comments (11)

Obama should be pressured to listen to his Generals. He has been asked for more troops for Afganistan. If Obama drags his feet for much longer, we can kiss Womens' Rights in Afganistan goodbye.

Posted by Chuck Reynolds on 10/03/2009 @ 12:04PM PT
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Mr. reynolds...

After reading your comments on an earlier blog post concerning abortion...

Im not at all convinced that you truly care about women's rights.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/07/2009 @ 04:10PM PT
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That's OK, Tom. I'll be convinced for you.

Posted by Chuck Reynolds on 10/07/2009 @ 10:38PM PT
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Tom, what makes you think anyone cares. I've read some of your comments, also. I'm not impressed.

Now, back to my point, tell the rest of us what would happen to women's rights in Afghanistan if the Taliban reclaimed the territory? If you think they will be in better shape than they are today, I will laugh at you and cry for them.

Posted by Chuck Reynolds on 10/07/2009 @ 09:52PM PT
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Mr. renolds...

Dont put words in my mouth kid.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/15/2009 @ 03:50PM PT
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Sorry. I'm just trying to spur some free thought. This is probably too much to ask of you.

Keep in mind: if everyone's thinking the same thing, someone isn't thinking.

Posted by Chuck Reynolds on 10/16/2009 @ 09:02PM PT
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I worked in Afghanistan for six months in 2007, and maintain a few friendships long distance with Afghans I worked with there. To a person, they want American troops to stay, BUT, they want them to listen more to the Afghans and what they want/need, and instead of dropping bombs. to hire Afghans to build their own roads, bridges, canals, schools, etc. Also, every Afghan woman I talked to feels that she can be a devout Muslim AND choose her own husband, work outside the home without a male family member as escort, choose how many children she wishes to have, etc. There are many ways to interpret Sharia law -- Afghan women are more than ready for international donors to put even more pressure on those who want a more strict, unrealistic interpretation, at the expense of Afghan women. Afghanistan will never prosper until it empowers the 50% of its adult population who remain oppressed.

Posted by Jayne Cravens on 10/10/2009 @ 02:39PM PT
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The problem is these wars were started to make big American contractors wealthier, not to do anything for the local populations. Governments don’t usually see the populations and their problems until forced to see them by groups of individuals who care. It was governments that made up terms like “acceptable losses,” and “collateral damage” to dehumanize the loss of their own troops and non combatants alike.

War is too profitable and bombing is much easier and cheaper than diplomacy. Remember, these wars were started by those who had no idea what they were doing, were supposed to be fought on the cheap and won instantly. I believe the Afghanistan connection was manufactured as a staging area while the Cheney gang was trying desperately to make up excuses to attack Iraq, as around 85% of the troops sent to Afghanistan were siphoned to Iraq to guard the precious oil ministry. Our troops could have prevented massive looting in Iraq, but they were ordered not to interfere with the looting. Eric Shinseki was trashed because he told Cheney how to properly fight a war, which told future generals if they wanted to keep their job, they had to tell the regime what they wanted to hear. It was a losing proposition from the start.

Posted by Dave Kisor on 10/11/2009 @ 01:16AM PT
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This video adds the perspectives of many Afghan women:

http://rethinkafghanistan.com/blog/?p=604

Posted by Allison Basile on 10/10/2009 @ 09:11PM PT
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Afghanistan is one of the countries where we can see the common problems of the world writ huge. I don't have time to write a full-fledged argument here, but what I see is that a) war is failed policy, and b) the only policy that has NEVER been implemented is women having economic/political parity. Wake up, world. At the rate we're going, women may never have full human rights in ALL parts of the world. We might anihilate ourselves first.

Posted by Madama Ambi on 10/12/2009 @ 10:14AM PT
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Helping women in Afghanistan would have to be one of my life goals. No matter what shape, color, or religious belief women deserve equal rights to men.

Posted by Jay Pesan on 10/25/2009 @ 07:12AM PT
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Author

Jen Nedeau is a social media consultant, progressive activist, feminist speaker and writer. She currently lives in New York City, where she works full-time as the Director of Digital Strategy at Air America Media. In August 2008, Nedeau was selected to be the Editor of the WomensRights.Change.Org where she facilitates daily discussion about the feminist movement. Additionally, Nedeau volunteers as the Chief Technology Officer for New Leaders Council, a non-profit that offers exclusive training for young leaders. You can follow her on Twitter @HumanFolly or learn more here: www.jennedeau.com.