In a patriarchal society like Afghanistan, men still treat women as an inferior creature. The abilities of women are yet devalued and, therefore they are harassed in one way or another.

Ludicrously enough, it is believed that harassment may have happened because the victim was provocative, the victim laughed too loud, was attractive, or independent. Anything you say or do will be held against you. It is the mantra of society where women’s plight is concerned.

Men with a history of harassing women may have the capacity to change, but the will to change needs to come from within. Sometimes people do not realize the pain they are causing, and so creating empathy for the person in the weaker position is something that needs to be addressed. One’s own insecurities lead one to coerce others into taking part in illicit or forced behavior. The psyche of one who does this is immature and dysfunctional. The harasser may view the opposite sex as mere sex objects, or is very conservative in his thinking, believing women who step out to work as ones with loose morals or easy.

Needless to say, woman was considered as a symbol of production in the early myth of the entire nation and a due respect was paid to her for her connection with deity. Moreover, I believe that hijab is not only the social or ethical product but also originates in myth. Hijab existed for women before Islam to keep them away from social life and considered them a mythical creature.

In the past, the right of women was restricted because her dignity and personality were construed in a conservative way, however they did not protest against such a structural set-up of the society. Moreover, they also considered themselves inferior than men. But in modern age, there appeared a deep inconsistency between the traditional interpretation of women’s rights and modern women. Since the women found themselves between the gap of traditionalism and modernity, they shouted against the traditional treatment.

Women are no more circled with a halo of myth and have confirmed that they are no more inferior. Hence, the social mores and the traditional mindsets had to be changed. They should be provided with equal opportunity so as to flourish their potentials.

To avoid rhetoric, since we live in a religious society and our religion pays a due respect to women, we will have to treat them with dignity. It is commonly believed that women have the freedom to take active part in social issues. So, violating their rights is a great injustice and a real crime.