By coincidence, as the news was breaking last week about the death of Osama bin Laden, I was reading a book that described in vivid detail the violence, the fear and the hunger women and girls in Kabul, Afghanistan, endured during the time when the Taliban was in complete control.
The National Commission on the Status of Women and members of Insani Huqooq Ittehad, including PODA, Mehergargh, Aurat Foundation, Rozan, Sungi, Bedari, Ethno Media, Pattan and SPO convened an emergency meeting to express deep shock and disappointment at the verdict given by the superior court in the Mukhtara Mai gang rape case today.
The battle for women's equal rights existed before the Islamic Revolution. However, thinkers such as Soroush and Kadivar provided authentic Islamic terms and arguments to a branch of feminism within the Islamic establishment in 1990s. Their ideas created an environment in which Muslim women could raise their concerns with regard to women';s rights on the national level.
On Thursday April 21, 2011 the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a decision in the case of gang rape survivor Mukhtar Mai. Mukhtar Mai was gang raped on the orders of a village council in June 2002 when her brother was wrongly accused of having an affair with a woman from a rival gang.
What will happen to Afghan women when the United States begins withdrawing troops later this year? Will women be thrown under the bus as soldiers head for the exits?
Since I returned from Phnom Penh in January, I've been asked, "What's a nice Jewish guy like you doing helping Buddhist and Muslim girls in Cambodia?" My usual response: "Because this is what Jews are called to do."
What will happen to Afghan women when the United States begins withdrawing troops later this year? Will women be thrown under the bus as soldiers head for the exits?
Merely reporting on violence against women cannot put an end to this “heinous crime”. Instead, changing mindsets and the social outlook of people can help make a big difference.
