14 panorama DHAKA, FRIDAY OCTOBER 5, 2012 panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama Forgotten promises in Afghanistan The situation of women and their rights since the fall of the Taliban istening to political ana- should play within the process impression that the life of order to avoid punishment of males. This is not only ham- guided by gender equality is to emerge and operate is the lysts and officials of of developing Afghanistan’s women in Afghanistan is actu- an older relative of her family pers women in contributing to under stress because of two lack of access to the countries states involved in ‘civil society’. Additionally there ally improving. as well as larger or longer-last- the build-up of a functional basic phenomena. First, male judicial institutions. In other Afghanistan one will increas- was no debate with non-par- According to several ing clashes between the con- and effective Afghan civil soci- dominated political and words, on paper woman rights ingly find statements about tisan, legitimate Afghani observers and human rights flicting communities. Many ety, but also excludes them administrative circles, are are granted but the female cit- how conservative the Afghan women representatives like Dr. organisations, women in times, this practice ends with from political participation interested in maintaining the izenry has no chance to society is, viewing all forms of Massouda Jalal (former Afghanistan continue to be the death of the traded and economic resources like patriarchal structures of enforce the respective laws. modernity with deep suspi- Minister of Woman Affairs among the worst off within woman/girl or she gets forced employment opportunities. Afghan society, deciding on Due to prejudicial attitudes, cion. Subsequently this high- 2004-2006 and the only female and beyond South Asia, facing into slavery and/or marriage. Consequently, to survive socio- state policy towards women. remarkable sexism, anti- lights the rationale behind the candidate in the 2004 presi- all kinds of atrocities and lim- A similar abusive practice is economically, the lifeline for Second, each political move by female mind-sets of judges in argument that cultural, social dential elections) on other itations. There is still an baadal which consists of the many women is still formed by the government to bring out combination with an extraor- traditions, norms, and prac- pressing issues like the nation- endemic violence against exchange of daughters an absolute dependence on reforms in order to establish dinary lack of professionalism tices as well as the interpreta- al reconciliation and peace women in the public as well between two families for mar- the support of their male dom- gender equality was enforced of the police and prosecutors, tion of Islam in Afghanistan negotiation with the Taliban as the domestic sphere includ- riage. Due to the fact that it is inated families and commu- by the international commu- women have to suffer from a are not overtly influenced by and other militant funda- ing physical, sexual or psy- based on mutual arrangement nities, which avoids any nity and not based on a sig- dysfunctional criminal justice DR. SIEGFRIED the Taliban or other religious mentalist groups following a chological atrocities including as well as commitments, if one empowerment of their female nificant female lobby or a large system. At the same time, the extremist groups. Therefore, strict anti-female approach. rape, kidnapping, public in-law is treated badly, her members. Having this in mind, scale social movement from Karzei government does not O. WOLF the failures in developing the However, for a critical observ- abuse, assaults, forced and exchanged counterpart will be it is short-sighted just to state within the country. show any political will to carry country are also very much an er this was not really aston- Subsequently, the government out necessary reforms within indigenous problem that can ishing, having the ‘Bonn II did not invest a lot to enhance the judiciary to make fair treat- be traced back to a prevalent spirit’ in mind - ‘shirking and women participation in polit- ment of women and gender high degree of conservatism not shifting’ responsibilities ical decision-making. equality possible. Instead, gov- that hampers progress and towards the Afghan authori- In contrast, several reports ernmental officials have been modernity; following this ties after one decade of mis- state that women being allowing radical Islamic influ- logic, the external actors erable performance by the engaged in political-adminis- ence to grow within should not be regarded as the international assistance com- trative authorities in general Afghanistan’s judiciary (and View metadata, citation and similar paperssole scapegoat at core.ac.uk for failure. munity in establishing a sta- and in the national parliament, other institutionsbrought too) to in you order by CORE This line of argument seems ble and secure country. One provincial councils and district to gain (electoral) support from quite debatable and at best cannot help the feeling that assemblies in particular are the fundamentalists.provided by CrossAsia-Repository In con- offers one facet of a complex, focusing on ending the ISAF systematically threatened to sequence, instead of helping multi-layered scenario. It does mission as soon as possible keep a low profile. Instead of to abolish or reduce the not however reflect the real under enormous pressure lim- offering female politicians pro- oppressive conditions and THE ‘LIBERATION purpose standing behind this ited the political will and clout tection and room to manoeu- practices, the judiciary and case. It seems rather that, to substantially improve the vre in politics, the current gov- respective law enforcing agen- OF WOMEN’ FROM THE besides the inability of difficult and unbearable con- ernment tries to appease con- cies are worsening the situa- US/NATO to defeat the Taliban ditions the women in servative and religious extrem- tion. ‘GENDER APARTHEID’ militarily, it is more about con- Afghanistan have to face on a ist forces in the country in To sum up, there are no AND THE ANTI-FEMALE cealing just another Afghan daily basis. order to form alliances for doubts that the legal and social POLICY OF THE drama, the broken promise of Consequently, today one maintaining power. In other status as well as the role in the international community must state that most of the words, despite existing con- political processes of Afghan OPPRESSIVE TALIBAN to grant the woman in women in Afghanistan find stitutional directives, nation- women has undergone REGIME AND THE Afghanistan their legitimate themselves more or less in the al laws, and several interna- tremendous changes during rights in order to improve the same repressive situation as tional commitments the cur- the different regimes in ‘mod- DEFENCE OF WOMEN'S social and economic situation before the engagement of the rent power oligarchy in ern’ Afghanistan. Nevertheless, RIGHTS WAS (OFFICIALLY) as well as their political role in international assistance com- Afghanistan does not mind to various successful reform the country. This has been munity in their country. sacrifice legitimate rights of attempts in the past proved ONE OF THE PRIMARY gaining momentum since the Besides some initial positive women for political and strate- that an Afghan government MOTIVES BEHIND ACTION ‘liberation of women’ from the developments, at least on gic purposes. with sufficient political will is ‘gender apartheid’ and the paper, in the sectors of edu- It also seems more and more capable of working towards IN AFGHANISTAN anti-female policy of the cation, political participation, obvious, that the process of improving the situation of its oppressive Taliban regime and health care and employment, reconciliation with the Taliban female citizenry. However, the defence of women's rights not many aspects for most of as well as the negotiations of besides some half-hearted was (officially) one of the pri- the Afghan women and girls power arrangement with war- measures to please the donors mary motives behind the have improved. There is no lords including local militias but at the same time not over- action in Afghanistan. In addi- doubt that the statistical suc- will not mark an exception to stepping boundaries set by tion the legitimisation for the cess stories of governments this. The fact that women are conservatives and fundamen- military intervention in and non-governmental organ- vastly outnumbered and out- talists, the current government Afghanistan by many govern- isation in order to justify their ranked in the High Peace either lacks the volition or has ments, especially by the US, own aid programs in underage (child) marriage, too. Besides the fact that it that these unfortunate condi- Council/HPC (currently only no interest to implement gen- was based in part on the Afghanistan are being put forced prostitution, ‘honour helps poorer families to tions are due to the tradition- nine out of 70 members are der equality. It is most perti- promise to improve the life of under increasing scrutiny and killings’, restrictions on move- arrange marriages for daugh- al, long-established cultural women), an governmental nent to mention that this phe- Afghani women. Having the challenged by the realities on ment and freedom of expres- ters by offering a chance to context of Afghani society that authority set up to negotiate nomenon is either backed or heralding of the end of sys- the ground. For example the sion. Additionally women have avoid dowry payments (mahr deeply determinates all peace with the Taliban, can ignored by the international tematic exclusion of Afghan emphasis on the high enrol- to suffer from traditional prac- or mahriya), baadal heavily spheres of community and therefore be seen as an indi- community. As a result, instead women during the first Bonn ment of girls in schools or the tices like baad and baadal promotes violence against individual life.