Una flor para las mujeres de Afganistan
Une fleur pour les femmes de Afghanistan
Uma flor para as mulheres de Afeganistão
A flower for the women of Afghanistan
Un fiore per le donne di Afganistan


Brief history of Aghani women struggle


Since the 1920's there have been in Afghanistan a conflict between modernist and Islamic fundamentalist. The conception of the role of women has been always a conservative one by the Islamic fundamentalist.

Afghanistan gained its independence in 1919 and inmidiately the modernization process of the country started. The government ordered that no women should walk in parks wearing the old-fashioned head to foot veil (Stewart, 1973, p.377). In fact, King Amanullah and Queen Soraya took position against the seclusion of women. During the mid 20's legislation concerning marriage, engagements, dowries and circumcision materialize. Women were also animated to establish their own organization (in 1921, the first Women's Magazines were founded by Queen Soraya), and education was encouraged.

However, this reforms were cancel due to the tremendous opposition against women unveil in public from many sectors of the society. In fact, many schools for girls were closed. From 1929 to the 1963, women submit to veiling and seclusion once again. Segregation was established in all aspect of the society: cinemas, schools, and university faculties were established only for women. It should be mentioned that according to Micheline Centlivres, the emancipation of women at this time was not a popular movement.

In 1959, women were encouraged to remove the "veil" and not to use the burqa in official ceremonies. Later, thousands of women had appeared in public unveiled. According to Micheline Centlivres this measures had been dictated by a growing need withing the Afghan administration for women to exercise semipublic functions such as office employees, saleswomen and traditionally women occupations in certain sectors (Centlivres-Demont, 1994, p.340).

During 1964 the Constitution was established and with it the first women's entry into the National Assembly. The first woman to be cabinet member was Kubru Nurzai as Minister of Health. Later, during 1970's many women, especially from upper class, adopted Western style of clothes. However, not all sectors of the society accept the new code of behavior. In 1970 two conservative mullah shot at the legs of female teachers and girl students dressed in Western clothes, protesting the public display of female liberation in the form of Western dress (Centlivres-Demont, 1994, p.340).

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In 1978 when the communist came to power, a new episode for women began. The new "Basic Line of the Revolutionary Duties of the Government of the DRA" provided women with changes in their status in society. One of the changes was within the Decree Number 7 which forbids forced marriages and establishes a minimum age for marriage, under penalty of imprisonment of up to three years (Centlivres-Demont, 1994, p.344)

In addition, the Communist regime gave women the right to work. The Labor Law of 1984 ensured equal job opportunities for everybody including women. By 1992, women constituted up to 50 percent of work force (Centlivres-Demont, 1994, p.351). Women were serving in the army and thousand of women served in the police until the Islamic fundamentalist came to power.

Article review: Centlivres-Demont., Afghan Women in Peace, War and Exile in The Politics of Social Transformation in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakitan., Syracuse University, 1994.


Human Rights violations today

With the coming to power of Islamic fundamentalists in 1996 women's right to full participation in social, economic, cultural and political life of the country have been drastically diminish and today they are completely denied by the ultra-fundamentalist Taliban.

Since 1992 until today women are totally deprived of basical humans rights:

The right to education

All schools closed.

The right to work

Women have been ordered to remain in their houses.

The right to travel

Woman cannot go outside the house alone.

The right to health

Woman cannot see a male doctor, and women cannot be operated upon by a surgical team containing a male member.

The right to legal resources

Woman's testimony is worth half a man's testimony.

The right to recreation

Women's recreational facilities have been banned, and female singers cannot sing.

The right to be WOMEN

Women cannot show their faces in public. They cannot wear bright coloured clothing or cannot wear make up. They cannot wear shoes with heels that click since the clicking sound of the heels corrupt males. Women, finally cannot raise their voices in public.

More Resources:

Women in Afghanistan.