Brittany Walker
May 2, 2009
11:08 pm
In rural Afghanistan, around 90 per cent of women and 60 per cent of men are illiterate. Most teachers in Afghanistan are male and traditionally many families do not allow wives or daughters to be taught by a member of the opposite sex. Under Taliban rule (1996-2001) it was illegal and a crime punishable by death for women to learn to read and write. The Taliban held that women’s education was forbidden in the Qur'an. Many families are too poor to send all their children to school, and it is usually the girls who are kept at home to help. Poverty also causes girls to be taken out of school to be married, as poor families so desperately need the dowry paid by the groom’s family. But things are slowly changing. Most of the women in the shura cannot read or write and use their thumb print instead of a signature. The adult literacy classes they have helped to set up will ensure that future generations are empowered through better education. Today in Afghanistan there remain many barriers to female education, including entrenched social opposition, lack of educational institutions and extreme poverty. Christian Aid is working with local Afghan organizations to challenge stereotypes and help families escape poverty, giving girls and women an opportunity for an education, and a better chance in life.
After reading this article it is clear that the women of Afghanistan are not the one’s to blame why they do not have the economical resources they need in order to receive a descent education. Afghanistan is the poorest country in the world next to Africa, and I think that it’s sad that Afghan women heave to sacrifice more in order to receive an descent education should be able to receive the same opportunity as if she was a male.
4 comments:
I think that it is really sad that women around the world are still treated this way. The women of Afghanistan should be given a chance at education because not only would it benefit themselves, but they could help the economy of Afghanistan.
Woman of Afganistan are being treated in ways they should not be treated at all. If they were given a chance to be in a 'normal' life maybe their country could start becoming better economically and educationally.
I think the fact that education is being denied to Afghan women is really difficult to deal with, especially when this denial is largely due to the religious climate of that place. What can be done if the prevailing religious sect does not acknowledge the rights of women to equal education?
I think it's sad that despite your years of education, you can't spell the word 'decent' correctly and you think that Africa is a country.
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