The Women of Afghanistan

Life in Afghanistan is hard. Even though it is the men who have to fight in the never ending wars, work, and take care of the family’s finances, it’s the women who have the worst side of the story.

            In the culture of Afghanistan women have limited rights. In fact according to Sharia law (the Islamic guide book for everyday life) a women’s say is only half that of a man’s. In the Taliban’s regime (1996 – 2001), many of the few rights women had were taken away. As an example, women were forced to wear a burqa, a piece worn that completely covers their body. Burqas not the best clothes, for they are hot, stuffy, and allow limited vision. In the hot summer sun of Afghanistan, were temperatures can reach up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit   (though that doesn't happen often) many women wish they could where something less… torturous. Heat stroke is evident.

             Other than the heat, burqas are bad for another reason. Burqas block your peripheral vision, so how’s a woman supposed to see the car coming straight at her? The limited vision also makes it hard to watch the children. If a child were to wander off the chance of the child finding his or her mother is very slim, for every woman has to wear the same type of clothing. As if that wasn't enough, the Taliban also declared women unable to leave a house if not accompanied by a man of relation. That causes trouble for Afghanistan’s 1.5 million widows, who usually have to resort to begging on the streets, or sadly prostitution. Widows aren't uncommon thanks to child marriage. 50% of Afghan women are married or engaged by the age of 10, while 60% are married by 16. Some women activists say that 80% of the marriages in rural areas are young girls forced to marry far older men. Most of the time, the couple doesn't meet until their wedding day. How can these young wives outlive their husbands?

Afghanistan is still recovering from the Taliban’s rule. Though life for women has improved, the statistics on child marriage and widows rings true to this day. How can we help stop the madness? Get involved, and one of the best organizations to work with is called Trust In Education, where I got all this information. They have great ideas and presentations. I went to one of their packing parties and it was fun! Packing parties are when a bunch of volunteers, doesn't matter the age, get together and pack up stuff to ship to Afghanistan. There were boxes of rice, blankets, clothes, and even soccer balls packed up and sent off, to be given to the needy. I could practically imagine the little boy who would pretty much live in the sweater I packed up through the harsh winter. There are more things you can do to help, just do a little research of your own. You never know what you could find.

My friend wearing a Burqa my teacher has