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Afghanistan's Anti-Woman Law

by Julie Clawson 04-03-2009 | 3:00pm
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Last month Afghanistan's Parliament passed a new law that severely restricts the rights of women. Although the Afghan constitution calls for equal rights for men and women, this new law imposes standards that some say are worse than what the Taliban demanded. This law forbids women to leave their homes except for emergencies; it forbids them to work or receive education without their husband's express permission; it strips mothers of custody rights to their children in case of divorce; it makes it impossible for wives to inherit land or houses from their husbands; and it even permits marital rape, saying that women cannot refuse sexual relations unless they are sick.

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And if those violations of women weren't enough, it appears that President Karzai approved the law in an attempt to win more votes during an election year. Apparently guaranteeing men the legal right to rape their wives scored high on the felt needs survey for his key swing demographic. This isn't simply cultural, or a way to "protect" women, as defenders are saying. Expressions of conservative Muslim faith do exist that don't treat women as pawns to be used by men for their own selfish ends. This is about stripping women of their identity and humanity

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by: JeremyZ

04-03-2009 @ 2:30pm

I think part of the problem is that Afghanistan is our enemy at the time being. It isn't so much that the American media doesn't care, but rather there is a prevailing attitude that if you aid even the innocent civilians in an enemy state, you are aiding the enemy.

It's sore of like what goes on between Israel and Palestine. Palestinian military people regularly use civilians as shields and bombs and deliberately target civilian populations. But, when Israel does even one act that is similar, such as when soldiers went into Gaza and killed families just because they happened to be there, our hearts don''t break in the same way, if at all.

It's sad really.

by: EllenHar

04-03-2009 @ 5:01pm

Yeah. I speak often on issues of misogyny and gender-based injustices and have been accused of having "issues with men" which ignores the *severe* problems at hand and which also serves to dismiss or undermine the voices that speak up! Yet this was a justice issue that was championed by Jesus himself.

by: Ngchen

04-03-2009 @ 6:07pm

Speaking as a man, I would guess that the term "feminist" has gotten a not-so-good-rap in our country these days because it has pushed some things too far for many people. More specifically...
(1) Feminism has gotten equated with the "abortion-rights" lobby. Pro-life feminism is increasingly viewed as an oxymoron, even though well, the victims of sex-selective abortion are overwhelmingly female.
(2) It's pushed for, in some sense, the obliteration of the differences between man and woman; many will argue that such differences are inherent and God-created.
(3) It has come to be viewed as anti-family, and anti-child. For instance, see the negative reactions to people who choose to have large families. And the implicit denunciation of women who choose more traditional roles as mother and caregiver.

Now, is any of this right? No. But just as distorting civil rights into "special rights" (in rare, extreme cases) turns people off from the movement, feminism has in some sense been hijacked by extremists and it's turned people away.

by: MikePC

04-03-2009 @ 7:53pm

I don't think it's really accurate to say that "Afghanistan" is our enemy. The Karzai government that passed this law are our allies. We are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, not the legitimate government. And yet this government that we helped put in place as an alternative to the Taliban extremists are the very ones enacting these extreme laws. Therein lies the irony.

by: toddgodwinsan

04-04-2009 @ 4:56am

My guess is that you read or heard about this in the U.S. press, as did I. So I reject that notion that nothing is being said about this there. I, a man, also became outraged by it immediately as has everyone in my office where we have been discussing it all morning. Perhaps instead of attacking the so-called anti-feminism that you referred to as the reason for why more is not being done about this, we could educate ourselves about how Sharia law, which is often kept notoriously and purposefully vague, is at present day being squared with international human rights law in Islamic countries. This is a slow and tedious process and gains have been made. But most Westerns do not have the time or interest to pursue these developments. Instead they would rather make blanket statements about how anti-feminist we all are and lump together those who are trying to help and those who are subverting the process.

by: JeremyZ

04-03-2009 @ 2:30pm

I think part of the problem is that Afghanistan is our enemy at the time being. It isn't so much that the American media doesn't care, but rather there is a prevailing attitude that if you aid even the innocent civilians in an enemy state, you are aiding the enemy.

It's sore of like what goes on between Israel and Palestine. Palestinian military people regularly use civilians as shields and bombs and deliberately target civilian populations. But, when Israel does even one act that is similar, such as when soldiers went into Gaza and killed families just because they happened to be there, our hearts don''t break in the same way, if at all.

It's sad really.

by: EllenHar

04-03-2009 @ 5:01pm

Yeah. I speak often on issues of misogyny and gender-based injustices and have been accused of having "issues with men" which ignores the *severe* problems at hand and which also serves to dismiss or undermine the voices that speak up! Yet this was a justice issue that was championed by Jesus himself.

by: WaveTossed

04-05-2009 @ 4:30pm

Check out this Website. This is an organization that I've supported for many years.

http://www.rawa.org/index.php

by: Ngchen

04-03-2009 @ 6:07pm

Speaking as a man, I would guess that the term "feminist" has gotten a not-so-good-rap in our country these days because it has pushed some things too far for many people. More specifically...
(1) Feminism has gotten equated with the "abortion-rights" lobby. Pro-life feminism is increasingly viewed as an oxymoron, even though well, the victims of sex-selective abortion are overwhelmingly female.
(2) It's pushed for, in some sense, the obliteration of the differences between man and woman; many will argue that such differences are inherent and God-created.
(3) It has come to be viewed as anti-family, and anti-child. For instance, see the negative reactions to people who choose to have large families. And the implicit denunciation of women who choose more traditional roles as mother and caregiver.

Now, is any of this right? No. But just as distorting civil rights into "special rights" (in rare, extreme cases) turns people off from the movement, feminism has in some sense been hijacked by extremists and it's turned people away.

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 7:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

by: EllenHar

04-05-2009 @ 7:18pm

Those are great ideas, Todd.

by: MikePC

04-03-2009 @ 7:53pm

I don't think it's really accurate to say that "Afghanistan" is our enemy. The Karzai government that passed this law are our allies. We are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, not the legitimate government. And yet this government that we helped put in place as an alternative to the Taliban extremists are the very ones enacting these extreme laws. Therein lies the irony.

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 9:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

by: toddgodwinsan

04-04-2009 @ 4:56am

My guess is that you read or heard about this in the U.S. press, as did I. So I reject that notion that nothing is being said about this there. I, a man, also became outraged by it immediately as has everyone in my office where we have been discussing it all morning. Perhaps instead of attacking the so-called anti-feminism that you referred to as the reason for why more is not being done about this, we could educate ourselves about how Sharia law, which is often kept notoriously and purposefully vague, is at present day being squared with international human rights law in Islamic countries. This is a slow and tedious process and gains have been made. But most Westerns do not have the time or interest to pursue these developments. Instead they would rather make blanket statements about how anti-feminist we all are and lump together those who are trying to help and those who are subverting the process.

by: WaveTossed

04-05-2009 @ 4:30pm

Check out this Website. This is an organization that I've supported for many years.

http://www.rawa.org/index.php

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 7:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

by: EllenHar

04-05-2009 @ 7:18pm

Those are great ideas, Todd.

by: RickBTenPercent

04-13-2009 @ 4:06pm

Jeremy, the balance of evidence after the attack on Gaza clearly shows the IDF is the prime user of civilians as human shields and also deliberately targets civilians, not just from afar but up close where identifying a target involves no doubt. I understand your point but the inference I get is Palestinians routinely commit war crimes whereas Israel are less prone, this is simply not true.

by: RickBTenPercent

04-13-2009 @ 4:06pm

Jeremy, the balance of evidence after the attack on Gaza clearly shows the IDF is the prime user of civilians as human shields and also deliberately targets civilians, not just from afar but up close where identifying a target involves no doubt. I understand your point but the inference I get is Palestinians routinely commit war crimes whereas Israel are less prone, this is simply not true.

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 9:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

Comments sorted by highest rated. After voting you must refresh your page to see the sort order change.

by: JeremyZ

04-03-2009 @ 2:30pm

I think part of the problem is that Afghanistan is our enemy at the time being. It isn't so much that the American media doesn't care, but rather there is a prevailing attitude that if you aid even the innocent civilians in an enemy state, you are aiding the enemy.

It's sore of like what goes on between Israel and Palestine. Palestinian military people regularly use civilians as shields and bombs and deliberately target civilian populations. But, when Israel does even one act that is similar, such as when soldiers went into Gaza and killed families just because they happened to be there, our hearts don''t break in the same way, if at all.

It's sad really.

by: JeremyZ

04-03-2009 @ 2:30pm

I think part of the problem is that Afghanistan is our enemy at the time being. It isn't so much that the American media doesn't care, but rather there is a prevailing attitude that if you aid even the innocent civilians in an enemy state, you are aiding the enemy.

It's sore of like what goes on between Israel and Palestine. Palestinian military people regularly use civilians as shields and bombs and deliberately target civilian populations. But, when Israel does even one act that is similar, such as when soldiers went into Gaza and killed families just because they happened to be there, our hearts don''t break in the same way, if at all.

It's sad really.

by: EllenHar

04-03-2009 @ 5:01pm

Yeah. I speak often on issues of misogyny and gender-based injustices and have been accused of having "issues with men" which ignores the *severe* problems at hand and which also serves to dismiss or undermine the voices that speak up! Yet this was a justice issue that was championed by Jesus himself.

by: EllenHar

04-03-2009 @ 5:01pm

Yeah. I speak often on issues of misogyny and gender-based injustices and have been accused of having "issues with men" which ignores the *severe* problems at hand and which also serves to dismiss or undermine the voices that speak up! Yet this was a justice issue that was championed by Jesus himself.

by: Ngchen

04-03-2009 @ 6:07pm

Speaking as a man, I would guess that the term "feminist" has gotten a not-so-good-rap in our country these days because it has pushed some things too far for many people. More specifically...
(1) Feminism has gotten equated with the "abortion-rights" lobby. Pro-life feminism is increasingly viewed as an oxymoron, even though well, the victims of sex-selective abortion are overwhelmingly female.
(2) It's pushed for, in some sense, the obliteration of the differences between man and woman; many will argue that such differences are inherent and God-created.
(3) It has come to be viewed as anti-family, and anti-child. For instance, see the negative reactions to people who choose to have large families. And the implicit denunciation of women who choose more traditional roles as mother and caregiver.

Now, is any of this right? No. But just as distorting civil rights into "special rights" (in rare, extreme cases) turns people off from the movement, feminism has in some sense been hijacked by extremists and it's turned people away.

by: Ngchen

04-03-2009 @ 6:07pm

Speaking as a man, I would guess that the term "feminist" has gotten a not-so-good-rap in our country these days because it has pushed some things too far for many people. More specifically...
(1) Feminism has gotten equated with the "abortion-rights" lobby. Pro-life feminism is increasingly viewed as an oxymoron, even though well, the victims of sex-selective abortion are overwhelmingly female.
(2) It's pushed for, in some sense, the obliteration of the differences between man and woman; many will argue that such differences are inherent and God-created.
(3) It has come to be viewed as anti-family, and anti-child. For instance, see the negative reactions to people who choose to have large families. And the implicit denunciation of women who choose more traditional roles as mother and caregiver.

Now, is any of this right? No. But just as distorting civil rights into "special rights" (in rare, extreme cases) turns people off from the movement, feminism has in some sense been hijacked by extremists and it's turned people away.

by: MikePC

04-03-2009 @ 7:53pm

I don't think it's really accurate to say that "Afghanistan" is our enemy. The Karzai government that passed this law are our allies. We are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, not the legitimate government. And yet this government that we helped put in place as an alternative to the Taliban extremists are the very ones enacting these extreme laws. Therein lies the irony.

by: MikePC

04-03-2009 @ 7:53pm

I don't think it's really accurate to say that "Afghanistan" is our enemy. The Karzai government that passed this law are our allies. We are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, not the legitimate government. And yet this government that we helped put in place as an alternative to the Taliban extremists are the very ones enacting these extreme laws. Therein lies the irony.

by: toddgodwinsan

04-04-2009 @ 4:56am

My guess is that you read or heard about this in the U.S. press, as did I. So I reject that notion that nothing is being said about this there. I, a man, also became outraged by it immediately as has everyone in my office where we have been discussing it all morning. Perhaps instead of attacking the so-called anti-feminism that you referred to as the reason for why more is not being done about this, we could educate ourselves about how Sharia law, which is often kept notoriously and purposefully vague, is at present day being squared with international human rights law in Islamic countries. This is a slow and tedious process and gains have been made. But most Westerns do not have the time or interest to pursue these developments. Instead they would rather make blanket statements about how anti-feminist we all are and lump together those who are trying to help and those who are subverting the process.

by: toddgodwinsan

04-04-2009 @ 4:56am

My guess is that you read or heard about this in the U.S. press, as did I. So I reject that notion that nothing is being said about this there. I, a man, also became outraged by it immediately as has everyone in my office where we have been discussing it all morning. Perhaps instead of attacking the so-called anti-feminism that you referred to as the reason for why more is not being done about this, we could educate ourselves about how Sharia law, which is often kept notoriously and purposefully vague, is at present day being squared with international human rights law in Islamic countries. This is a slow and tedious process and gains have been made. But most Westerns do not have the time or interest to pursue these developments. Instead they would rather make blanket statements about how anti-feminist we all are and lump together those who are trying to help and those who are subverting the process.

by: WaveTossed

04-05-2009 @ 4:30pm

Check out this Website. This is an organization that I've supported for many years.

http://www.rawa.org/index.php

by: WaveTossed

04-05-2009 @ 4:30pm

Check out this Website. This is an organization that I've supported for many years.

http://www.rawa.org/index.php

by: EllenHar

04-05-2009 @ 7:18pm

Those are great ideas, Todd.

by: EllenHar

04-05-2009 @ 7:18pm

Those are great ideas, Todd.

by: RickBTenPercent

04-13-2009 @ 4:06pm

Jeremy, the balance of evidence after the attack on Gaza clearly shows the IDF is the prime user of civilians as human shields and also deliberately targets civilians, not just from afar but up close where identifying a target involves no doubt. I understand your point but the inference I get is Palestinians routinely commit war crimes whereas Israel are less prone, this is simply not true.

by: RickBTenPercent

04-13-2009 @ 4:06pm

Jeremy, the balance of evidence after the attack on Gaza clearly shows the IDF is the prime user of civilians as human shields and also deliberately targets civilians, not just from afar but up close where identifying a target involves no doubt. I understand your point but the inference I get is Palestinians routinely commit war crimes whereas Israel are less prone, this is simply not true.

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 7:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 7:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 9:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training

by: Marcus

06-30-2009 @ 9:41am

Everything is worse in women's situation and this is good example post for that.. we tried to provide and spread freedom and democracy we seem to actually be making things worse for women..
direct care worker training