AFGHAN WOMEN WALK FOR EMANCIPATION – Ashley Skerritt

Approximately 300 women, in Kabul, Afghanistan walked the streets of the country’s capital. Despite being faced with an enraged crowd triple their size, the Afghan women walked on Wednesday 21 October, 2009 to demand that Parliament repeal a new law, approved and signed by President Hamid Karzai, that encouraged controversial restrictions and exploitation of women, such as permitting marital rape.  As told by 26 year old Fatima Husseini, “Whenever a man wants sex, we cannot refuse. It means a woman is a kind of property, to be used by the man in any way that he wants.”

Women in this country do not enjoy the same freedom and rights as the men of society do, in fact what they face is far from what is considered freedom. However here came this new generation of activists, young, defying traditions by wearing jeans and standing up for their beliefs and human rights. This display of bravery proved the strength of empowered women in unity, no matter where in the world they are.

 

To view the full story, simply follow this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/world/asia/16afghan.html?ref=women&_r=1&