Canadian Women for Women in is a volunteer not-for-profit organization founded in 1996 with over ten chapters across Canada. The goals are to advance education and educational opportunities for Afghan women and their families; and to increase the understanding of Canadians about human rights in Afghanistan.

himself to modernizing his country. He Afghan Women in History: made political and social changes that included extending personal freedom and equal rights to all Afghans. His The 20th Century social reforms included a new dress By the early 20th century Afghanistan Afghan women’s organizations working code, which permitted women in was undergoing a modernization process to secure greater rights have often turned to go unveiled and gave officials the with many examples of transformative to the multitude of interpretations of right to wear western dress. The social change, such as the spread of Islamic law () and principles such (screening or seclusion of women to education and progressive changes in as the canon that champions women’s prevent contact from strangers) was the status of women. As in many other rights to equality, justice, education discouraged as was the wearing of a veil countries in the world, in Afghanistan and the pursuit of knowledge, and or . Amanullah said, “Religion does there has always been discrimination community service. not require women to veil their hands, against women. The challenges women feet and faces or enjoin any special type face have transformed over time, and “ If any do deeds of righteousness-be they of veil.” His wife, Queen Soraya, called there have always been sharp differences male or female and have faith, they will for women to shed the veil and she did so in the status of women in rural and enter Heaven, and not the least injustice publicly herself. urban areas, and differences depending will be done to them.” - Sura 4, verse 124 of the Qur’an “ Do not think that our nation needs only on their ethnicity, sect, education and men to serve it. Women should also take other factors. Yet, Afghanistan has a far “ To seek knowledge is obligatory on every part as women did in the early years of more liberal past with regards to women’s Muslim.” . The valuable services rendered rights than is often known; and Afghan - Islamic hadith, declared authentic by by women are recounted throughout women have long been mobilizing for Shaikh Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen history”…”From their examples we learn greater rights. Afghanistan’s diverse Al-Albaani that we must all contribute toward the population, home to both Sunni and development of our nation and that this Shia Muslims as well as a small Seikh As early as 1880-1901, the Afghan cannot be done without being equipped population, and its diverse traditions ruler, Abdul Rahman Khan was making with knowledge. So we should all attempt have meant changing and competing incremental changes to further women’s to acquire as much knowledge as possible interpretations of what Islam says about rights. His wife, Bobo Jan, dressed in order that we may render our services women’s rights. This has often meant without a veil and represented her to society in the manner of the women of varied attitudes and behaviour from men husband in reconciliation disputes. The early Islam.” towards gender issues. renowned scholar of Afghanistan, Nancy - Queen Soraya, 1926 Hatch Dupree has described Bobo Jan as riding horses and training her maidservants in military exercises. She “ It is not about the West wanting had a keen interest in politics and went Afghanistan to Westernize, it’s about on numerous delicate missions to discuss wanting Afghans to modernize.” politics between contending parties - Nasrine Gross, founder of the Roqia (1986). Centre for Rights, Studies and Education, Kabul. In the 1920s, following the Anglo- Russian agreement which guaranteed independence for Afghanistan, the ruling Emir Amanullah devoted

website: www.CW4WAfghan.ca P.O.Box 86016, Calgary, AB T2T 6B7 • Tel: 1 403 244-5625 • email: [email protected] In the 1920s, the emancipation of of women studying abroad. The first two this time fundamentalist extremists women was spreading throughout the women senators were appointed in 1965. started working against Daoud and his world, and Afghans were taking part. And from 1966-1971, fourteen women reforms. The Soviets invaded in 1979, The first school for , Masturat, which were appointed as judges to courts of and a communist government was means “covered ones”, was opened in Islamic jurisprudence. Statistics from installed. The communists were repressive 1921. Among the illustrious graduates the 1960s show that around 8% of the of political dissidents but they promoted were future government ministers, female population earned income. Most women’s rights while they were in power members of the ruling council, and of these women lived in urban centers, during the 1980s. university professors. In 1923, women and the majority were professionals, were legally granted freedom of choice technicians and administrators employed When the Afghan communist in marriage. Prior to this, women were by the government. Many worked in government fell in 1992, civil war raged to marry by their first menstrual period, health and education. Others worked in Afghanistan and women’s rights were a fundamentalist practice the for the police, the army, airlines, and an early casualty, as mujahideen factions re-introduced during their regime. in government textile, ceramic, food turned on each other. Women’s free Amanuallah’s sister, Seraj al Banet, was processing and prefab construction mobility was reduced due to the war, and also instrumental in the early women’s factories. A smaller number of women educated Afghan women were fleeing rights movement in Afghanistan. worked in private industry and a few with their families to refugee camps were self-employed. in neighbouring countries and some “Knowledge is not a man’s monopoly. migrated to the West. The education Women also deserve to be sector was decimated, and the formerly knowledgeable”… “We must read about upward trend of women’s rights began famous women in the world, to know that its downward spiral. Poverty worsened women can achieve exactly what men as incomes dropped, infrastructure was achieve.” destroyed, and the country became - Seraj al Banet, 1923 increasingly unstable. Sexual violence by armed forces was reportedly In 1928, the first group of Afghan widespread and the rule of law eroded, women left the country to attend school as a governance vacuum spread over the in Turkey. One of them was the country, paving the way for warlordism. of the founder of the Toronto-based Afghan Women’s Organization, Adeena “Prior to the rise of the Taliban, women Niazi. Adeena explained, “As one of in Afghanistan were protected under law the first Afghan women to be educated and increasingly afforded rights in Afghan abroad, my mother felt very lucky.” society. Women received the right to vote in the 1920s; and as early as the 1960s, The 1940s and 1950s saw women the Afghan constitution provided for becoming nurses, doctors and teachers. equality for women. There was a mood From 1959-1965, women enrolled in of tolerance and openness as the country university and entered the workforce Above: Afghan women arriving to classes in began moving toward democracy. Women and civil service in vast numbers. Kabul during the 1960s. were making important contributions to Women started graduating from the national development.” medical school and law faculty at Kabul In 1973, a prince and cousin of the - US Bureau of Democracy, Human University by 1963, and women were ruling king, , Rights and Labor, 2001 entering sports in larger numbers. By the overthrew the monarchy and took 1960s, women with and without the veil power of the country. Khan had been In 1994, the Taliban emerged in mixed freely in the streets of urban areas, prime minister from 1953-1963 and Kandahar and then took power in Kabul and continued to advance into senior had already been working to introduce in 1996. They immediately imposed their government positions. The number reforms for women’s emancipation. notorious ‘gender apartheid’ rules over of women attending The reforms continued into the women and girls, shutting down girls’ increased every year as did the number 1970s, along with Khan’s two five-year schools and demanding that women leave modernization plans. However, during

website: www.CW4WAfghan.ca P.O.Box 86016, Calgary, AB T2T 6B7 • Tel: 1 403 244-5625 • email: [email protected] their jobs and stay home. Women were to Afghanistan and launched services to “I am struggling just for stripped of their rights, not even allowed assist women, such as , health, her future, for other girls to leave their homes unless accompanied livelihoods, and skills training. Women by a male relative and fully enveloped are represented in parliament, and in my country for their in the burqa. Women were imprisoned, exceeded a 25% quota for the Lower future. Really I want to tortured and executed for “moral House. A female candidate, Masooda see my daughter as a crimes” like prostitution or infidelity, Jalal, ran for president; and there is a and were commonly whipped in the female governor in Bamiyan province. strong . I laugh streets by Taliban police for showing skin Important legal reform efforts are here when everybody such as wrists or ankles. The Taliban’s underway, such as a new family law code, asks her what do you Department for the Promotion of Virtue and a law criminalizing violence against want to be and she says I and the Prevention of Vice became women. Girls’ schools are reopening, all powerful, charged with ruthlessly though there remains a dire shortage of want to be the President enforcing the rules against women and female teachers and many upgrades are of Afghanistan.” girls. Although it was illegal for women needed in the education sector. Women to leave the country at this time, many remain the target of Taliban violence, - Shinkai Kharokhail, Afghan member more women and their families fled and of persistent patriarchal practices. of parliament, 2006 Afghanistan and the Taliban’s brutality. Women newscasters, politicians, teachers, police and elections workers have been murdered. There is also growing anxiety over negotiations with Taliban insurgents, or any power-sharing deal made with the Taliban, and what this will mean for women’s hard-fought rights. Yet women activists are bravely continuing their fight for greater rights into the 21st century, building on the foundations laid by their predecessors.

“The will of the Afghan people is to move The Taliban executing a woman in a sports toward modernity, even at the risk of their stadium in Kabul lives. Consider the girls in Kandahar who Afghan Women: 2000 and Beyond were attacked with acid. They continue The modern Afghan women’s movement to go to school, encouraged by their has inherited a country with a long principal. Girls’ schools have been burned legacy of suffering, and an overwhelming down...and rebuilt. Women from the number of challenges for restoring south who are prey to Taliban terror are and protecting the rights of women. not looking to negotiate with the Taliban. Nevertheless, the movement has made They know what will happen to their significant progress and is sophisticated rights if they do.” in its strategies and advocacy efforts. - Patricia Lalonde, March 23, 2009 It is estimated that there may be as many as 800 women’s organizations “The rebuilding of a peaceful Afghanistan in the country. There are at least two requires a commitment to protecting major networks uniting some of these the human rights of all Afghan citizens, groups, including the Women’s Political including women.” Participation Committee and their 50% - , 2002 Campaign, and the Afghan Women’s Network. Many women’s organizations had operated in exile and have returned

website: www.CW4WAfghan.ca P.O.Box 86016, Calgary, AB T2T 6B7 • Tel: 1 403 244-5625 • email: [email protected]