PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in Central Asia and South Asia. The government and Taliban in Afghanistan are notorious for discriminating women's rights.
UNICEF States in a report that "121 million children worldwide do not attend school -- 9 million more girls than boys." The report says an estimated 65 million girls are being denied basic education, increasing the likelihood they will live in poverty or die young. Another report states that nearly half (42%) of Afghanistan's children aren't educated or at least have no access to education.
The literacy rate for women in Afghanistan is only 12%. Still educational opportunities remain low. 7 million children now attend school in Afghanistan while only 2.5% of them are girls. UNIFEM reported in November 2007 that "at the secondary level, 1 girl for every 3-4 boys attends school".
Women seeking an education were forced to attend underground schools, where they and their teachers risked execution if caught.
Afghan women were also not allowed to be treated by male doctors unless accompanied by a male chaperone. They faced public flogging and execution for violations of the Taliban's laws.
The Taliban allowed and some times encouraged girls under 16 to get married. 80% of Afghan marriages were considered to be forced.
Afghanistan is a society where it is commonly believed that men are meant to make decisions for women, including engagement and marriage. A man is allowed to divorce his wife without needing her agreement.
A girl's father has the authority over who he believes his daughter should marry. It is not uncommon for girls to be engaged even before they are born. Girls are often married off at a very young age to wealthy men who are much older than themselves.
In rural Afghanistan, families have been selling their daughters to much older men in exchange for food.
Bibi Aisha's husband (a Taliban fighter) beat her from the day she was married at age 12. After she ran off to find neighbours help, her husband cut off her ears, hair and nose
All ground and first floor windows should be painted over or covered with blinds/curtains to prevent women being visible from the street .
Taking photos or filming women is banned as well as displaying pictures of females in newspapers, books, shops or in the house.
Any places that included the word "women". For example, "women's house" was renamed "spring house".
Women were forbidden to appear on the balconies of their apartments or houses.
Afghan women were not allowed to star on radio, television or at public gatherings of any kind.
Afghanistan has a struggling economy with massive unemployment and poverty, women often cannot find work where they receive reasonable pay. One area of the economy where women do play a significant role is in agriculture.
80% of Afghans are employed in the agriculture industry. 30% of them are women. In some areas in Afghanistan, women may spend as much time working on the land as men do, but still often earn three times less than men in wages.
These days there is much more work opportunity. Women are now able to join the national army, the police force and parliament. Tailors are now able to start up a business.
Meena Rahmani became the first woman in Afghanistan to open a bowling alley in Kabul.
FEMALE OFFICERS OF THE AFGHAN NATIONAL POLICE.
FEMALE LIEUTENANTS OF THE AFGHAN AIR FORCE
AFGHAN WOMEN AT A TEXTILE FACTORY IN KABUL
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON STANDING WITH AFGHAN FEMALE POLITICIANS.
Women's rights in Afghanistan has gradually improved in the last decade under the new president, Hamid Karzai. Women have struggled to gain freedoms and reform a society that is strong about equality.
