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Afghanistan: Yes, what about their women?

The issues in relation to Afghanistan grow by the day - as also the consequences of the war, not only in that country, but also in Iraq.

One of the issues often now touted for foreign forces being in Afghanistan - now that many of the other reasons have been shown to have been hollow - is that to leave would expose the women to the diktats of the Taliban. Yes, it is a critical issue.....but is what is going on now in the war-torn country helping them now?

Nicholas D Kristoff - who writes an op-ed column for The New York Times and also has his own blog - has actually been in Afghanistan and writes cogently about the Afghan women in his latest piece "What About Afghan Women?"

"The best way to end oppression isn’t firepower but rather education and economic empowerment, for men and women alike, in ways that don’t create a backlash. As I wrote in my last column, schooling is possible even in Taliban-controlled areas, as long as implementation is undertaken in close consultation with elders and doesn’t involve Westerners on the ground.

Often the best place to hold girls’ literacy classes is in the mosque. And the insistence of Western donors that they get credit with signs on projects they finance is counterproductive. Buildings might as well have signs reading “burn me down.”

One impressive force for change is BPeace, which encourages female entrepreneurs in Afghanistan. Soora Stoda, one of the entrepreneurs I met, is building a potato chip factory. Another, Shahla Akbari, makes shoes. Her mother, Fatima Akbari, has 3,000 (mostly female) employees around Afghanistan, working in jam-making, furniture building, tailoring, knitting, jewelry and other lines.

Fatima Akbari is now expanding her women’s businesses and literacy classes in Taliban-controlled areas, always working closely with mullahs and elders to gain their support and protection. “When you go and win their hearts, you can do anything,” she said.

“I’m not threatened by negotiations with the Taliban,” she added. “In fact, it would be good for the Taliban to be involved in the country, to see that there’s nothing wrong with women leaving the house. And once there’s a deal with the Taliban, security will be better.”

So let’s not fool ourselves by thinking that we’re doing favors for Afghan women by investing American blood and treasure in an unsustainable war here. The road to emancipate Afghan women will be arduous, but it runs through schools and economic development — and, yes, a peace deal with the Taliban, if that’s possible."

Over at Mother Jones view a photo essay - "Hidden Half: Women in Afghanistan"




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