Carina Gibson
April 17, 2009
11:09 AM
New laws in Afghanistan are targeting the rights of women. These new laws, directed towards the country’s Shia population, regulate marriage, divorce and inheritance. Except on urgent business, women would have to ask permission to leave the house. A woman would have the duty to “make herself up” or “dress up” for her husband when ordered, and she would not be allowed to refuse sex when her husband wanted it. The President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, has created the laws in an effort to gain political preference and a “short-term political gain.” Many people are afraid that these laws will also spread to cover Shiite women as well. President Obama called the law “abhorrent,” and many human rights activist are outraged at this new back-slide in women’s rights. The law contradicts the Afghan constitution, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (which Afghanistan is a part of.) After France, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and NATO strongly protested this new law, Karzai got the Ministry of Justice to review it. Human Rights Watch is wary of this, however, because leading officials of the Ministry of Justice are of a conservative Shia background. The culture clash that this creates is firm standing ground for the Taliban’s argument.
Reflecting the ideals of the Western World over traditional ideas of a certain society cannot always be done, but when the factor of human rights comes into play, I believe that intervention can be necessary. Traditional cultural practices don’t necessarily fit under the rule of universal human rights laws, and in this case I think that other nations have a right to step in and protest.
http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/642370.html
8 comments:
Since when did women become slaves for men? This isn't the 50's. Women should no longer have to fetch her husband's slippers and always look as fresh as a daisy. And since when should the government be allowed to regulate "love"? I would bet my life that these heinous laws were created by men (and bad husbands)
This is a violation of human rights and I don't think that women are having to be the slaves of men. These laws should be made. What kind of world do we live in, what kind of world has this become!?
Very well argued... Your opinion feels like fact. I usually find it really difficult to stand firmly on one side or the other of these kinds of cross-cultural debates, but I'm feeling pretty comfortable over on your side of this one. Thanks!
This is the stupidest law ever. Whites and blacks are treated equal. Now why can't women and men be treated equal makes no sense. Women have every right to refuse to do something jus like a man does. If she's having a bad day and don't want to dress up so be it. It shouldn't be a law against that.
So that's how u really feel? Well I don't think anyone should be treated as slaves because slavery is over.
Slavery is over, and so is the Womans Rigts Movement. Afghanistan needs to catch up with American progress, or be left behind.
this law is the best thing ever and it should be put into action over the whole world.
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community.
Your web site offered us with valuable info to work
on. You've done an impressive job and our whole community will be thankful to you.
My webpage - safe diets
Post a Comment