It can now be easily observed that the incidents violating women rights in Afghanistan have not been stopped though there have been many claims of developments. In fact the changes are prevalent only on the exterior while from within the Afghan society still lacks the modernity and development it needs in order to reach to a respectable position. The support and assistance of the international community has only been able to provide clean and beautiful attire not a praiseworthy soul to Afghan society and this attire is going to get dirty very soon.
The Afghan social structure has been vehemently dominated by religious extremism and tribal nepotism. Though these factors have affected almost everyone, women have been intensely influenced as they belong to the weaker strata of the society. Most of the self-designed religious doctrines and tribal norms are against the women and discriminate their basic rights. Unfortunately, these norms and doctrines have even gone to the extent of violence and have tortured women physically – mostly in the public. They, in the name of dignity of women, have in fact degraded them. The concept of so-called tribal honor and dignity has not been able to provide safety and respect to Afghan women.
It is unfortunate to note that Afghan authorities and many important personalities themselves have favored the recommendations and suggestions to limit the participation of women in social and political lives. As most of these authorities are themselves nourished in an extremist patriarchal society and do not have much consideration regarding the role and empowerment of women and consider it against their tribal values that they come out of their houses, they would never follow a movement to save women from violence and make them achieve their due place in Afghan society.
In the man-dominated society of Afghanistan, women have always been looked upon as goods for buying and selling. An example of place where women are traded openly like goods and cattle is the eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. Girls and young and elderly women are sold at prices of as low as prices of mules in Afghanistan. This happens without fear of religion, government or respect of humanity in Rodat, Mohmand and Shinwar districts of Nangarhar.
The clerics who even object celebration of national historical events such as Nauroz have not given any comment on the inhuman trend of selling of women that has continued since long. Meanwhile the government that blows the trumpet of protecting the right women is still mum on the issue. The human rights organizations and activists and civil society must raise voice against such brutalities that Afghan women are suffering from.
Among the many areas where there have been failures to bring about any significant development one is the right of women and safeguarding them from brutal violence. For centuries the rights of women have been suppressed and Taliban’s era 1996-2001 proved to be the worst for them as they were imprisoned in their own home deprived of their basic rights such access to education, work or health services. They were treated worse than animals.
Meanwhile, more than a decade after the ouster of Taliban from government, it seems like their rules, laws and regulations still apply in many parts of Afghanistan and the people are compelled to follow them by hook or crook. Over the last decade – an era considered return of democracy -, the world have witnessed heart-wrenching incidents of violence against women. Women have been attacked with acid on their faces and their body parts have been chopped off. They have been brutally beaten and publically executed.
Women are not protected both inside and outside their homes. There have been countless incidents of violence against women by their male family members inside their homes while at work and in public too they have to counter certain sort of brutality ranging from simple taunting to rape and murder.
NATO in Afghanistan is nearing its complete withdrawal from the country, fear grow that Afghan women might lose the little gains they have had so far in the decade. Now is the high time for Afghan government and it international backers to take some serious measures for protecting women rights at present and in the future. The issue of trading women must be raised in Afghan parliament, cabinet and other important government bodies and measures to address it must be in place immediately.