1. Iran
Women’s
Rights
Middle East
Afghanistan
By Gabi Lerner

2. Daily Life of Women in most of Middle East
In most of Middle East can’t work
Can only go outside with a mahram (a close male relative)
Can’t talk to men except mahram
Must wear a burqa (a head to toe covering).
Can get brutally beaten for showing their ankle
No health care (men can’t treat women, women can’t work/be doctors)

3. Struggles for Women Afghanistan AFGHANISTAN AFGHANISTAN
Women have lost many basic rights in Afghanistan…
Marry as young as eight, even with abusive husband
No rights that have to do with marriage, divorce, or children custody
If raped, brings dishonor to her family, when she did nothing wrong
Legally can get only half of what her brothers’ get from parents
Education not allowed by the Taliban
Can’t go to any public gatherings
Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN
AFGHANISTAN

4. Struggles for Women Iran IRAN IRAN
Women have lost many basic rights in Iran…
Men allowed four permanent wives, and as many temporary ones as wanted
Women must have husband’s written permission to travel (outside country)
Strict dress code, much like a burqa
Go to jail for non-covered hair (and 280 lashes with whip)
Can get stoned (government is trying to stop it)
If gets divorced, has to go back to father (usually makes her miserable)
Iran
IRAN
IRAN

5. A man and a girl getting married
Married Women/Girls
The life of daily women and girls…
In Afghanistan girls can get married at eight, and in Iran at thirteen
Usually married without a choice
Have to obey their husband’s every command
Often have an abusive husband (who beats them and sometimes kills them)
Have no rights in marriage, husband decides on everything
A man and a girl getting married

6. Punishments for Women Stoning
(When it is believed a woman committed adultery, she is hit with stones until she dies)
Whipping/Flogging (whipping a woman in public happens all the time, for the smallest of crimes, like showing hair)
Bibi Aisha, got her nose and ears cut off after running away from her abusive husband
Disembodying (Cutting off a limb, or part of a woman’s body, for example if she tried to run away)
Hanging (Hanging a woman around the neck, often for adultery)

7. Bans for Women Women are forbidden to do many things…
Can’t go outside without husband’s permission
Paint windows black so can’t see in or out
No mixed buses (male and female only)
No perfume or cosmetics
No laughing loudly
No high heels or noisy shoes

8. Clothing Women only have few things they are allowed to wear…
Before the Taliban took control, many different things were worn
After the Taliban got in control, mostly only allowed niqab and burqa
Taliban said it wasn’t modest or religious for women to show face
Now women beaten or killed for wearing anything else
Some different clothing permitted for women to wear in most of the Middle East.

9. Women’s Shelters A safe place for women who run away…
Are being taken over by the Taliban
A new government program chooses if girls go to shelters, jail, or back home
New bad rules for shelters (going to be strictly/government run)
Believed to encourage girls to run away (and to be fronts for brothels)
More and more girls running away to shelters
When girls leave shelters, not accepted back into society and usually beaten or killed

10. Middle East and The World
The Middle East’s relationship with the world…
The U.S. is trying to help the women in the Middle East
Charities being made for women in the Middle East
All but three countries in the U.N. (United Nations) believe the Taliban is not a legal government
Rules became lighter when Americans came to the Middle East
Very hard to negotiate with the Taliban about women rights

11. Women’s Old Lives The lives of women before the Taliban took over…
Had jobs (like doctors or teachers)
Were 50% of the university students
Girls had an education and went to school
Didn’t get married so early (able to have a childhood)
Women had basic rights (education, food, shelter, safety)
Could go outside freely, without a mahram or with a burqa

12. Religion What women’s rights have to do with religion… The Taliban
Taliban are the unofficial government of Afghanistan
The way women treated caused by laws made by the Taliban
The Taliban say they are a religious group/government
Many believe/know the laws are only abuse
The Taliban “religious” laws are causing women abuse
Suicide rate in women went up since the Taliban went into power
The Taliban

13. Other Facts Other things that concern women in the Middle East…
Woman’s court testimony is only worth half of a man’s
Iran trying to discourage stoning, but still taking place
Women/girls going back to school in Iran (though many girls schools getting bombed or burned)
Many widows that can’t support their families have to eat grass
Burqas cause lots of injuries, because very hard to see
Widows in Afghanistan, sitting in homes and pray for humanitarian (help)

14. Bibliography
"Afghanistan: Proposed Clamp Down on Women’s Shelters." South Asia Citizens Web. Web. 01 Mar <
Powell, Conor. "Talks With the Taliban Come at a Price For Women - FoxNews.com." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. Web. 25 Feb
"Some of the Restrictions Imposed by Taliban in Afghanistan." The Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). Web. 01 Mar <
Women
Powell, Conor. "Talks With the Taliban Come at a Price For Women - FoxNews.com." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. Web. 25 Feb <

15. Bibliography
"Starting at Home, Iran’s Women Fight for Their Rights." Latest News, India News, Breaking News, India Latest News Online - The Indian Express. Web. 08 Mar <
Web. 25 Feb <
Women
"Women’s Rights in Iran." Women for Peace and Justice in Iran. Web. 06 Mar <

16. Women in the Middle East should be Happy and Free…