WOMEN IN AFGHAN SOCIETY By: Amber Lewis, Emily Mays, & Virginia Adams

WHY DID THE TALIBAN CHOOSE TO FIGHT AGAINST WOMEN’S RIGHTS? First off who is the Taliban: Pashtun movement, the Taliban came to prominence in Afghanistan in the autumn of It is commonly believed that they first appeared in religious seminaries - mostly paid for by money from Saudi Arabia - which preached a hard line form of Sunni Islam. The Taliban's promise - in Pashtun areas straddling Pakistan and Afghanistan - was to restore peace and security and enforce their own version of Islamic law, once in power. Why did they choose to fight against women’s rights: The Taliban's version of Islam is not supported by the worlds Muslim. Women were protected by Muslim law. The Taliban were out of step with the Muslim world and Islam. The Taliban thought they were doing it for the good of the women and girls, but they were just reduced women and girls to poverty, worsened their health, and deprived them of their right to an education, and many times the right to practice their religion.

HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED/STAYED THE SAME SINCE THE TALIBAN LOST POWER? Changed Women can become judges Women can join the air force The status of women Young girls have more access to secondary school Stayed the same Married at Women have to have male relative with them at all times Still wear burqa (head to toe garment) Women are still being beat and sexually assaulted.

HOW HAS A WOMEN’S ROLE IN SOCIETY CHANGED IN THE LAST FORTY YEARS? Women in the central highlands, and women of the ethnic minority group, the Hazara’s, are usually allowed to leave the home and find a job For the most part women’s life since the fall of the Taliban has not changed. There are an increasing opportunities, but very few women take advantage of them. Woman still do anything that their husband, or male relatives demand them to do. In 1970, a law was passed that married women could not attend high school classes.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO MODERN AFGHAN WOMEN ENCOUNTER? HOW ARE THESE SIMILAR/DIFFERENT TO THEIR MOTHERS? They can now go to school unlike their mothers. They are still sold into marriage. Still gets put into prison, for crimes such as: adultery and running away. Still abused by their in-laws and husbands

QUIZ QUESTIONS What do you know about the Taliban? Why did the Taliban choose to fight against women’s rights? Name two things that has changed for modern Afghan women since their mother’s time.