Women in Afghanistan/ RAWA - Essay Example

Women in Afghanistan/ RAWA Introduction The rights of women in Afghanistan in the Taliban regime were oppressed. Thiswas under the guise that the Islamic religion forbids women empowerment and that the women were expected to be under men. This meant that women could not benefit from analogous rights as men (Esposito, p95). This was evident when women in Afghanistan were denied education among other liberties. The women were also expected to be chaperoned despite their age, and were required by Taliban laws to cover themselves with the traditional garment burqa. The women who dared to protest were treated brutally in order to ensure that they submit to the oppressive ways of the Taliban. This was seen as retrogressive considering that women rights in the rest of the world were advanced, in that women were treated as equals. In the book Veiled Courage, the author Cheryl Benard attempts to explore the efforts of the courageous revolutionaries who were instrumental in liberation efforts to change the situation that Afghanistan women were facing. The burqa played a significant role in the liberation efforts of the Taliban women. This was because of its bulky nature, through which the women were able to conceal equipment that enabled for the recording of the atrocities that women faced. This was key in the struggle for the unrestraint of women in the region from Taliban oppressive laws. This was because the plight of the Afghani women was exposed to the globe leading to call for change and respect for the liberties of women. Role of the Revolutionary Association of Women in Afghanistan (RAWA) The oppression of the Afghani women led to the formation of Revolutionary Association of Women in Afghanistan (RAWA), an organization that supported the efforts of the brave women who were seeking revolution. The organization despite the dangers that were eminent, encouraged the women to take part in clandestine activities, that included, secret recordings of open beatings and executions that the Afghani women were subjected to, in order for the material to be posted for the world to witness. This was facilitated by RAWA’s multilingual website, which broadcasted the material to be accessible globally through its link Rawa.org (Benard, p43). This facilitated for the sensitization of the world to the plight of the Afghani women, which sparked a call for change in the region. The organization also took part in efforts of to educate the disadvantaged female gender through the creation of underground schools. This was necessitated by the draconian rules of the Taliban that barred women from accessing education. The organization was aware of the essence of education in women empowerment, in the region, since it was crucial for any meaningful development to be realized in the revolution. The organization also strived to empower women economically, through small businesses set up in the border town of Pakist. The organization and the efforts of the women revolutionaries gained international acclaim in their noble efforts to bring change for women in Afghanistan. The results are evident now with the inevitability of the total overhaul of the Taliban rule, which will mean the emancipation of women in the region. Use of Education as a Weapon Education is a basic right for all individuals. This, however, was not the situation in Afghanistan whereby the Taliban, in their quest to ensure that women are submissive, barred the group from accessing this liberty. This was because the Taliban was aware that education resulted in empowerment. They, therefore, took measures to ensure that women could not access knowledge hence keeping them dependant. This reduced the chances of women not be autonomous, since it stemmed the women’s voices socially and politically. The Taliban in their oppression against women, therefore, used lack of education as a weapon. In contrast, RAWA used this same avenue to fight against Taliban oppression. The group acknowledged that, in order for women to be politically relevant, it was imperative that they are first educated. This became a principal goal for the organization, since it was crucial for change. The organization encouraged its members to be proactive in education. One of the ways this was facilitated was through the establishment of underground schools. These secretive classes, despite the danger they attracted in the Taliban regime, was employed by RAWA to educate women (Benard, p57). The members assisted in teaching, printing of books among other activities that encouraged learning. This was because there disparity in education between the genders was unfairly inclined towards the men, with 35% of them being literate as compared to a mere 7% in women. Women education meant that a balance would be created between the genders that will be reflected politically and socially (Benard, p57). This will result in political empowerment among women to match the male dominated Taliban regime, which will facilitate liberties for the gender. The organization did not single out the boys from education initiatives. This is because they were aware that the only way to create a progressive community was to facilitate education. Education will enable the community to appreciate the rights of both genders, hence progressive for the Afghani society. Importance of Male Supporters to RAWA Though the RAWA initiative was seen to fight for the rights of the Afghani women, the support of the male faction of the community was crucial, in ensuring the success of its quest for the realization of the liberties of women. This is because, for any meaningful change to occur socially and politically, it is imperative that the process is inclusive to ensure success. Not all men, in the Taliban Afghanistan, agreed with the tyrannical laws against the women. This was evident when some of the men joined the initiative of RAWA in the emancipation efforts. RAWA encouraged this by allowing the male faction to attend the meetings and give their input regarding the issues that affected the Afghani women (Benard, p152). This is because these men believed in the organization and took its mandate seriously. It was crucial that, in order for the initiatives of RAWA to be achieved, it was imperative that the men view the women as partners rather that threats. This encouraged the men to support the reforms being propagated by the organization. The only way this was to be realized was by embracing men and encompassed them in the organization’s mandate. Male support was, therefore, crucial since it facilitated change in the society. The inclusion of men was crucial in ensuring that the organization was not alienated from the gender, which was crucial for its success (Benard, p153). This was because it encouraged goodwill and added depth into its perspective since it encompassed both sides of the community. Importance of RAWA's Personal Contacts/Correspondence The Taliban laws against organizations of RAWA made their activities perilous. The members of the organization faced imminent dangers in their activities, in the country. This magnified the crucial nature of correspondence and personal contacts. This is because; these avenues of communication enabled the members of RAWA, their sympathizers and affiliates, to get the message on the situation to the world (Benard, p136). This was crucial, since there were stringent laws adopted by the Taliban regime to try to quell any resistance to its ideologies. It was, therefore, dangerous for individuals to speak out against the regime openly. This necessitated for members to come up with communication methods that are less perilous. The most likely candidate was through the inconspicuous method of using personal contacts and correspondence, to tell the tales of the predicament of Afghani women (Benard, p136). The method was popular, since the risk involved was minimal to individuals, and the message was being effectively though slowly. This played a crucial role in the revolution efforts by the RAWA, since the organization was able to employ this channel to communicate with the world. Conclusion The women in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime were denied their liberties. This necessitated for women to demand their rights. Even though the quest put the lives of the revolutionaries at peril, the urge for change pushed the Afghani women. Through the instrument of an organization ad hoc for the emancipation of the Afghani women RAWA, the women in the region found a voice to defend their liberties against the Taliban regime. This was facilitated through sensitization of the globe on the issues facing the women, and facilitated for the education of the female gender to empower them socially and economically. The efforts of RAWA gave hope to the Afghani women for a future where their liberties are respected, and they are treated as equals of their male counterparts. Works Cited Benard, Cheryl. Veiled Courage: Inside the Afghan Women's Resistance. New York: Broadway Books, 2002. Print. Esposito, John L. What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam. New York: Oxford University Press Inc, 2011. Print. Read More