Women role
It has been approximately a century since the eminent words “all men were created equal,” were put down in black and white in America’s Declaration of Independence. For women in America, it was the beginning of ... Yet at the same time in countries like Afghanistan, the notion of gender equality was never mentioned. Their basic presence was seemingly “invisible” to society. This was because they were seen to be both emotionally and physically weak as compared to the men. Their role was mainly to get married and do as their husbands’ p . . .
Afghan women suffered domestic and other types of violence for the past 25 years, not just under the Taliban regime. A sense of parity was only shed after the Taliban had been overthrown in September 2001. During the Taliban's rule, only about 3 per cent of girls received some form of primary education. Women's removal from the public space also meant that women could not play any role in the political process and were excluded from all forms of formal or informal governance. In May 2001, the Taliban issued a decree banning women from driving cars, which further limited their activities. In order to understand the true significance of this date, one has to understand the role of women in the early years. Poor health conditions and malnutrition made pregnancy and childbirth exceptionally dangerous for Afghan women. The resulting seclusion of women to the home constituted a form of solitary confinement and also created obstacles to women meeting with each other. Women were harassed and beaten by the Taliban if their public appearance was perceived to be in contradiction with Taliban edicts. In fact, Afghanistan has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world. Women could travel only when accompanied by a male relative, which put a particular strain on female-headed households and widows. They had been severely restricted in their access to education, health care facilities and employment.
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